Ignatius Potgieter (51), a former attorney, appeared on Wednesday 17 October 2018 at the Specialised Commercial Crime Court in Bellville on charges of fraud to the value exceeding R720 000.
Potgieter was on January 2012, appointed as an executor of the estate worth over R580 000 on behalf to two siblings following the passing of their father in December 2011.
Furthermore, Potgieter was again appointed as an executor of the estate worth over R140 000 on behalf of a father, who lost his son in December 2011.
The Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation revealed that between January and December 2012, Potgieter in his capacity as the executor of both deceased estates unlawfully defrauded the benefactors of the said deceased estates. He was subsequently struck off the roll of attorneys since March 2016 and had since reimbursed the complainants a total of R150 000.
Potgieter was sentenced to seven (7) years imprisonment of which three (3) years is suspended for five (5) years with stringent conditions.
The Hawks’ Provincial Head in Western Cape, Major General Nombuso Portia Khoza has welcomed the sentence imposed to the former attorney and hope it would serve as a deterrent to other professionals to uphold the rule of law.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
