Suspended sentence invoked

Former Nelson Mandela Bay municipality spokesman Roland Williams has been jailed for four years after he failed to abide by a court order to pay back money to an insurance company he had defrauded.

Williams submitted a false claim to Santam Insurance stating his vehicle was involved in an accident in Port Elizabeth on 19 August, 2014.

At the time of the offence, Williams, 50, was reportedly going through financial woes, Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) spokesman Captain Lloyd Ramovha said.

After his black BMW had experienced mechanical issues, Williams submitted a claim to his insurance company purporting to have been involved in an accident in Motherwell.

“The insurance company consequently suffered a loss to the tune of R96 000 as a result of Williams’ criminal ways,” Ramovha said.

The insurance company was alerted to the fraud two years later.

A probe by the Hawks’ serious commercial crime investigation team ensued, resulting in Williams’ arrest on 6 July, 2017.

He was convicted on 9 March, 2018.

National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Anelisa Ngcakani said Williams was sentenced to 36 months of correctional supervision, a suspended four-year sentence, a fine of R30 000, as well as being instructed to repay Santam the R96 000.

“He was to pay through monthly instalments of R3 500 from 3 May, 2018 to 31 May, 2020,” she said.

Santam submitted an affidavit to the state, indicating that William had defaulted. He last made payment in October, 2019.

“He was then rearrested in November, 2020, by the Hawks at his home in Port Elizabeth,” said Ngcakani. “Williams then paid the outstanding R40 000 a few days after his arrest.”

Williams’ attorney immediately submitted an application for leave to appeal that was opposed by senior state prosecutor advocate Lise Keech.

Magistrate Lionel Lindoor of the Specialised Commercial Crime Court dismissed Williams’ application. He said no other court would come to a different conclusion, Ngcakani said.

The court activated his suspended sentence with immediate effect last Friday.

The insurance company suffered a loss of R96 000 as a result of Williams’ criminal ways.

Lloyd Ramovha Hawks spokesman