Johannesburg – A former Northern Cape SAPS colonel was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment or paying a R30 000 fine after being convicted of 19 counts of fraud.
Avril Christopher Wentzel, pleaded guilty to the charges when he appeared before the Kimberley Regional Court yesterday.
Wentzel (51), who worked at the Provincial Detective branch in Kimberly for the SAPS in Northern Cape submitted several fraudulent travel claims in 2014.
Hawks spokesperson Nomthsndazo Mnisi said Wentzel misused his state benefit of the Middle Management Service (MMS) scheme when he received an undue payment of approximately R47 000.00.
His abuse of the subsistence and travel allowance was uncovered in 2015 and that prompted an in-depth probe by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team.
On completion of the investigation, Wentzel was served with summons in October 2019 to appear at Kimberley Regional Court.
“He pleaded guilty on nineteen counts of fraud which culminated to his conviction. He was subsequently sentenced to a fine of R30 000 or 12 months imprisonment. Furthermore, an additional five years imprisonment, suspended for a period of five years on condition that he is not found guilty of fraud during the period of suspension was imposed on him,” Minisi said.
The National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya welcomed the conviction and sentence.
“I would like to commend the investigation team that conducted this investigation without fear, favour or prejudice. It is unfortunate that a senior official who is a commissioned officer that has been bestowed on him by the State President, has succumbed to the temptation of looting the public purse. May the honest serving members appreciate that crime does not pay and that those who betray their oath of office by committing crime will never go unpunished”, he said.
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