Written by
Robin-Lee Francke
Multimedia Journalist, IOL News
A Free State man, Mlodi Van Rooi Mpofane, has been sentenced after pleading guilty to vehicle fraud and theft charges. Mpofane, 32, was arrested by the Hawks (Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation) on August 3, 2022, following a fraudulent vehicle financing scheme that led to a major investigation.
The incident dates back to June 2021, when Mpofane approached a car dealership in Harrismith to apply for financing on five vehicles valued at R3,241,862. He submitted a series of documents, including bank statements and proof of income, to facilitate the financing. The dealership forwarded these documents to the bank, which approved the financing for the vehicles.
However, when Mpofane went to collect the vehicles, dealership officials discovered that the financial documents he had provided were fraudulent. A subsequent investigation by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team revealed that the bank statements and proof of income were fabricated.
All five vehicles were recovered and repossessed by the bank.
Mpofane appeared before the Bethlehem Magistrate’s Court, where he was sentenced to 10 years in prison, though the sentence was wholly suspended for five years. This means that Mpofane will not serve time in prison unless he is convicted of a similar offense during the suspension period. Additionally, the court ruled that Mpofane is unfit to possess a firearm.
This conviction highlights the ongoing efforts by the Hawks to tackle serious commercial crimes and hold offenders accountable for financial fraud schemes.
