GEORGE, South Africa – A 39-year-old fraudster, Riaan Dandrey Belelie, was sentenced to eight years in prison after defrauding a complainant of R300,000 in a house sale transaction, Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani confirmed.
The George Regional Court handed down the sentence on Wednesday following a plea agreement. Of the eight years, four years are suspended for five years, meaning Belelie will serve four years of direct imprisonment.
According to court details, the transaction took place in 2018. The complainant agreed to sell a house to Belelie for R780,000, with a deposit of R350,000 due on signing. The remaining balance of R430,000 was to be paid in three instalments of R143,334, along with monthly rent payments of R5,000 from September to November 2018.
On August 5, 2018, Belelie sent a proof of payment for R300,000 via email on a Standard Bank internet banking letterhead. Upon receipt, he moved into the property. However, the payment proof was later discovered to be forged.
This fraudulent act led to Belelie’s arrest and subsequent conviction for fraud, forgery, and uttering. The complainant suffered a loss of R300,000 due to the scam.
