Durban: A Durban businessman, who pleaded guilty to attempting to export scrap metal to India without a relevant permit, has been fined R200 000.
Nagendra Kudupudi, 41, was convicted in the Durban Magistrate’s Court and ordered to pay a fine of R200 000 in four instalments.
He will begin his first instalment of R50 000 at the end of November which will be paid to clerk of the Durban court.
Natasha Kara, the regional National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, said that in February 2021, Kudupudi, who deals in the buying and selling of scrap metal, arranged for five containers to be prepared for export from the Port of Durban to India.
“The steel scrap metal weighed 125 500kg and was valued at R369 750.
“He did this being fully aware that the cargo due for export, required an application to the International Trade Administration Commission for an export permit. He was arrested after an investigation by the South African Revenue Service.”
Kara said Kudupudi was sentenced to a fine of R500 000 or five years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years, with conditions, after he pleaded guilty to exporting scrap metal without obtaining an export permit.
She said the conditions of Kudupudi’s sentence was that he pay the R200 000 fine and must not be convicted of an offence involving a contravention of the International Trade Administration Act within the next five years.
IOL