14 years prison term for defrauding an elderly woman of almost R 65million
Estimated reading time: 5 minute(s)
SA Police Services have finally managed to find a conviction of a 52 years old man who had been a thorn to the law enforcement after scamming a victim of almost R 65million as well as stealing copper wires, among other crimes reported.
It is said according to statement by police that Sello Cedric Pinkoane escaped police custody when he was initially arrested in Kroonstad, Free State, for a fraud and theft case that Sandton police in Gauteng had registered and investigated.On 15 February 2023, Pinkoane allegedly escaped from custody.
The Kroonstad Magistrate’s Court later issued a warrant for his arrest after he escaped from lawful custody.More than a year later, the Steynsrus police in Free State, working with the Zamdela Tactical Response team, received intelligence-led information on where the wanted suspect was.
His rebellious and illegal activities ended when the authorities caught him with two other men, aged 24 and 35, stealing copper cables and aluminium on January 18th, 2025.
While making his appearance in the High Court in Bloemfontein, the court heard that in January 2017, the accused approached an elderly businesswoman with a business proposition where he claimed to have secured a lucrative tender with one of the leading mining companies.
He told the victim that he was in urgent need of vehicles and cash. The elderly businesswoman obliged and bought six Isuzu bakkies and gave the accused money.
The victim only discovered that she was scammed and defrauded by the now convicted Pinkoane later when she enquired with the mining company.
She discovered that the accused never secured a tender. He had forged her signature, changed ownership of the vehicles, and sold them.
As a result of this greedy act, she suffered a loss of R 64.8 million. For that, he was sentenced to 14 years direct imprisonment for fraud, uttering, and money laundering.
