The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in KwaZulu-Natal has welcomed the heavy sentence handed down to a former police officer who fraudulently claimed from the Road Accident Fund (RAF) without the victims' knowledge.
The Durban specialised commercial crime court sentenced Darron Everol Jansen to an effective seven years' imprisonment after convicting him on 11 counts of fraud.
NPA KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said Jansen and his co-accused, Sandile Khwela, used a report from an accident in June 2008 in Port Shepstone to submit fraudulent claims to the fund.
According to Ramkisson-Kara, Khwela pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment.
The two are said to have used a legitimate accident report, but populated it with fraudulent details of complainants before getting an attorney to assist them in submitting the claims.
“Some complainants testified in court, confirming they were not involved in accidents claimed for on their behalf. Evidence that surfaced was that at some stage, not during the offences, Jansen was a police officer,” Ramkisson-Kara said.
“The complainants were none the wiser to Jansen and Khwela using their ID numbers and personal details without their consent. Jansen and Khwela committed the offences from 2008 to 2011, until the RAF became suspicious of the volume of cases emanating from the KZN south coast and launched an investigation, resulting in their arrest,” Ramkisson-Kara said.
She said the RAF could have lost about R1.4m if the fraud was not discovered, adding that the NPA welcomed the outcome of the case, made possible by the prosecution and investigating team.
“RAF fraud prejudices the actual victims of accidents, some of whom are severely injured and are in dire need of the funds,” she concluded.
TimesLIVE
Former cop jailed for seven years for defrauding Road Accident Fund
Image: 123RF/ EVGENYI LASTOCHKIN
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in KwaZulu-Natal has welcomed the heavy sentence handed down to a former police officer who fraudulently claimed from the Road Accident Fund (RAF) without the victims' knowledge.
The Durban specialised commercial crime court sentenced Darron Everol Jansen to an effective seven years' imprisonment after convicting him on 11 counts of fraud.
NPA KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said Jansen and his co-accused, Sandile Khwela, used a report from an accident in June 2008 in Port Shepstone to submit fraudulent claims to the fund.
According to Ramkisson-Kara, Khwela pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment.
The two are said to have used a legitimate accident report, but populated it with fraudulent details of complainants before getting an attorney to assist them in submitting the claims.
“Some complainants testified in court, confirming they were not involved in accidents claimed for on their behalf. Evidence that surfaced was that at some stage, not during the offences, Jansen was a police officer,” Ramkisson-Kara said.
“The complainants were none the wiser to Jansen and Khwela using their ID numbers and personal details without their consent. Jansen and Khwela committed the offences from 2008 to 2011, until the RAF became suspicious of the volume of cases emanating from the KZN south coast and launched an investigation, resulting in their arrest,” Ramkisson-Kara said.
She said the RAF could have lost about R1.4m if the fraud was not discovered, adding that the NPA welcomed the outcome of the case, made possible by the prosecution and investigating team.
“RAF fraud prejudices the actual victims of accidents, some of whom are severely injured and are in dire need of the funds,” she concluded.
TimesLIVE
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