A group, part of an abalone syndicate, has been sentenced in the Western Cape High Court on charges of racketeering, money laundering, corruption, and possession of abalone.
The spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) in the Western Cape, Lieutenant Colonel Siyabulela Vukubi said a multidisciplinary team conducted an integrated operation in March 2018 which led to the arrest of the group.
Members attached to the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team based in Bellville, the police’s Tactical Response Team, Special Task Force, Asset Forfeiture Unit, and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.
“The suspects allegedly operated as a syndicate in the Gansbaai area and were under the Hawks' radar for a period of time until they were apprehended.
“The Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment officials allegedly colluded with abalone poachers by illegally selling back the confiscated abalone and escorting illegal abalone shipments. After their arrest, the suspects made several court appearances where they were eventually granted bail until their sentencing,” Vukubi said.
The group was sentenced as follows:
1. Adam Baadjies, 42, was sentenced under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA) for managing the operations or activities of an enterprise to 15 years direct imprisonment of which eight years was wholly suspended for a period of five years.
He was further sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for contravening Section 2 under the POCA for participation of which eight years are wholly suspended for five years.
Baadjies was also sentenced to 10 years direct imprisonment for money laundering of which three years is wholly suspended for five years. Ten years imprisonment for corruption of which five years is wholly suspended for five years and five years direct imprisonment for contravening the Major Land Resource area: possession of abalone of which two years is wholly suspended for five years.
He was also sentenced to two years imprisonment for possession of abalone not whole in a state.
2. Rudolf Andrew Louw, 40, was sentenced under POCA for managing the operations or activities of an enterprise to 10 years direct imprisonment of which five years was wholly suspended for a period of five years. He was further sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for contravening Section 2 under the POCA for participation of which five years are wholly suspended for five years.
Louw was also sentenced to 10 years direct imprisonment for money laundering of which five years is wholly suspended for five years.
He was sentenced to 10 years direct imprisonment for corruption of which five years is wholly suspended for five years. Louw was sentenced to five years direct imprisonment of which two years is wholly suspended for five years for contravention of the Major Land Resource Area: possession of abalone and two years direct imprisonment for the possession of abalone not whole in a state.
3. Allistair Hillmar Maans, 47, was sentenced to was sentenced under POCA for managing the operations or activities of an enterprise to 10 years direct imprisonment of which five years was wholly suspended for a period of five years. He was further sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for contravening Section 2 under the POCA for participation of which five years are wholly suspended for five years.
Maans was also sentenced to 10 years direct imprisonment for money laundering of which five years is wholly suspended for five years.
He was sentenced to 10 years direct imprisonment for corruption of which five years is wholly suspended for five years.
Maans was sentenced to five years direct imprisonment of which two years is wholly suspended for five years for contravention of the Major Land Resource Area: possession of abalone and two years direct imprisonment for the possession of abalone not whole in a state.
4. Linda Nkeleni, 48, was sentenced under POCA for managing the operations or activities of an enterprise to 10 years direct imprisonment of which six years was wholly suspended for a period of five years. She was further sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for contravening Section 2 under the POCA for participation of which six years are wholly suspended for five years.
Nkeleni was also sentenced to 10 years direct imprisonment for money laundering of which six years is wholly suspended for five years.
She was sentenced to 10 years direct imprisonment for corruption of which six years is wholly suspended for five years.
Nkeleni was sentenced to five years direct imprisonment of which two years is wholly suspended for five years for contravention of the Major Land Resource Area: possession of abalone and two years direct imprisonment for the possession of abalone not whole in a state.
5. John Stephanus Karelse, 53, was sentenced was sentenced under POCA for managing the operations or activities of an enterprise to 10 years direct imprisonment of which six years was wholly suspended for a period of five years. He was further sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for contravening Section 2 under the POCA for participation of which six years are wholly suspended for five years.
Karelse was also sentenced to 10 years direct imprisonment for money laundering of which six years is wholly suspended for five years.
He was sentenced to 10 years direct imprisonment for corruption of which six years is wholly suspended for five years.
Karelse was sentenced to five years direct imprisonment of which two years is wholly suspended for five years for contravention of the Major Land Resource Area: possession of abalone and two years direct imprisonment for the possession of abalone not whole in a state.
The five were employed at the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment at the time of the arrest.
6. Frederick Myburgh, 52, was sentenced to five years direct imprisonment for contravening Section 2 under the POCA for participation, 10 years direct imprisonment for corruption wholly suspended for five years, five years imprisonment for contravention of the Major Land Resource Area: possession of abalone wholly suspended for five years and two years direct imprisonment for the possession of abalone not whole in a state wholly suspended for two years.
7. Dennis Swart, 42, was sentenced to five years direct imprisonment for contravening Section 2 under the POCA for participation, 10 years direct imprisonment for corruption wholly suspended for five years, five years imprisonment for contravention of the Major Land Resource Area: possession of abalone wholly suspended for five years and five years direct imprisonment for the possession of abalone not whole in a state wholly suspended for five years.
8. Eugene Herandien, 59, was sentenced to an R70,000 fine or four years direct imprisonment for contravening Section 2 under the POCA for participation and two years correctional supervision for corruption.
9. Richard Malan, 55, was sentenced to three years of correctional supervision for contravening Section 2 under the POCA for participation, five years imprisonment for corruption wholly suspended for five years.
10. Steve Dlovo, 40, was sentenced to three years of correctional supervision for contravening Section 2 under the POCA for participation, five years imprisonment for corruption wholly suspended for five years, and five years imprisonment for the possession of abalone wholly suspended for five years.
The acting head of the Hawks in the Western Cape, Brigadier Ruanette Walters commended the team for the collaborative efforts in bringing the perpetrators to book.