Fake real estate agent receives 23-year prison term

A bogus real estate agent was sentenced to 23 years of direct imprisonment by the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 3 July. His conviction and sentence are related to when he swindled a victim out of R100 000.

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BLOEMFONTEIN COURT SENTENCES FRAUDULENT REAL ESTATE AGENT TO 23 YEARS OF DIRECT IMPRISONMENT

Hawks spokesperson Captain Christopher Singo said Sabata Israel Papene was found guilty of fraud, contravening the Estate Agency Affairs Act and money laundering.

On 19 June 2014, a victim was attracted by an advert for a house for sale in the local newspaper. She then reached out to Papane, who acted as a real estate agent.

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The 60-year-old accepted a R100 000 offer for the house and signed a contract with the victim. When the time to move in came – the victim discovered Papane was not the lawful owner of the property or an estate agent.

The victim asked for a refund, but Papane did not comply, and the matter was reported to the Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in Bloemfontein.

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A summons was first served for Papane on 10 August 2021. Since then, he’s made several court appearances until he was sentenced on Monday.

“The Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Major General Mokgadi Bokaba, has applauded the investigating team for ensuring this hefty sentence, especially in ensuring that money laundering charges are pursued,” said the Hawks spokesperson.

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