Hawks Investigator Sentenced for Fraud, Money Laundering

The National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, the Hawks, Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya has expressed disappointment in the conduct of an officer who was convicted for fraud and money laundering.

“It is disappointing that some officers still involve themselves in criminal activities. We hope [the conviction] serves to remind those within our ranks to refrain from unlawful conduct,” said Lebeya.

Hawks investigator Captain Stefanus Nicolaas Van Rooi, 51, was on Wednesday sentenced by the Springbok Regional Court after he in October 2017 falsely claimed for subsistence and incidental costs allowance to attend to one of his cases’ court proceedings in Prieska. He never undertook the said trip.

“Hawks investigations revealed that Van Rooi forged an invoice from a bed and breakfast accommodation where he was meant to stay for a night, as a result the South African Police Service paid R794 into his account which he used for personal gain,” said Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi in a statement.

The Springbok Regional Court convicted Van Rooi on Monday on one count of fraud and another for money laundering. The court did not extend his bail and he was ordered to stay in custody until his sentencing yesterday.

Van Rooi was then sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for each count with an option of a R20 000 fine.

“Both sentences have been ordered to run concurrently. In addition, the state also successfully brought the application of section 18 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA) relating to the money that he unduly claimed for. Internal disciplinary processes are to be instituted following the successful prosecution,” said Mulaudzi in the statement.

Source: SAnews.gov.za