Two convicted fraudsters who received a 10 year suspended prison sentence for fuel fraud have had their freedom cut short after they did not comply with a court order to pay back the proceeds of their crime amounting to over R400 000.
The former petrol attendants 33-year-old Teboho Mokoena and 39-year-old Bambelephi Majola were initially arrested in 2016 when a Hawks investigation linked them to various fraudulent fuel transactions at a fuel station in Reitz in the Free State.
The pair used petrol card details belonging to the Nketoana Municipality to conduct illegal transactions, resulting in the Municipality and the garage losing R477, 040 through deceitful dealings.
The men were found guilty in 2017 and sentenced to 10 years in prison, suspended for five years on condition that they were not to be convicted of fraud or theft during this period, however, they were further ordered to pay back the money, in four instalments.
The first payment of R100 000 was due in October last year and never complied with.
The Bethlehem Commercial Crimes Court subsequently authorised warrants for their arrest and they were apprehended on Friday.
During their court appearance, their suspended prison sentenced was reversed and the pair jailed. , at Petsana location, whereupon their appearance ten years effective imprisonment was respectively endorsed.
