FORMER PRIESKA CASHIER PLEADED GUILTY AND SENTENCED
NORTHERN CAPE – A 48 year old former cashier who was employed by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development at Prieska Magistrates Court, Kevin Percy Prins, pleaded guilty on six (6) counts of fraud, five (5) counts of forgery, five (5) counts of Uttering and fourteen (14) counts of Money Laundering at Upington Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Friday,05 July 2024.
Between 2014 and 2018, the accused received payments from people who were found guilty and ordered to pay fines by the court. He issued them fraudulent receipts with the aim of concealing money received. The accused further completed claims using false addresses for witnesses who did not attend court and purported to have made payments to them.
When the department discovered that fines were not paid, letters of demand were sent to people who did not pay. They then produced proof of payments issued to them by accused, which were found to be fraudulent. The total amount involved is R13 197.80, and R9 790.30 was recovered by the department from his leave gratuity.
The accused was sentenced as follows: Three (3) years imprisonment or a fine of R24 000.00 and a further two (2) years imprisonment, which is suspended for period of five (5) years. He was further ordered to pay an amount of R3 407.50 which he unduly benefitted through his illegal activities.
