Gas company directors slapped with R20 000 fine for fraud

Published Sep 22, 2022

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Rustenburg – Two directors of Bagaetsho Energy Centre (Pty) Ltd were sentenced for fraud and contravention of Pressure Equipment Regulation of 2009.

Edward Bosch and Lanceford Bosch were sentenced by the Mmabatho Regional Court on Wednesday.

The Hawks arrested them in November 2021 following investigations into the illegal distribution and filling of gas cylinders under the Afrox brand while they were not the registered franchisees of Afrox (Pty) Ltd, Hawks spokesperson in North West, Captain Tlangelani Rikhotso said.

“The accused pleaded guilty to the crime and they were each sentenced to a fine of R20 000 of which half of the sentence was suspended for five years.”

The company was sentenced to a fine of R10 000 which was wholly suspended for five years.

In a separate incident, Rikhotso said Thinus Becker Theunissen, 61, appeared in the Potchefstoom Magistrate’s Court for allegedly defrauded farmers of R4 million worth of cattle.

Theunissen was summoned to appear in court following the finalisation of the investigation by the Hawks.

“It is alleges the accused, who was a representative of Vleissentraal Auction in Klerksdorp allegedly took cattle from farmers and gave them false invoices.

“He allegedly sold the cattle under his name where he allegedly made approximately R4 million from the sale, and he never paid farmers for their cattle.”

He was charged with 10 counts of fraud. The case against him was postponed to November 23.

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