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Bogus lawyer to pay

A BOGUS paralegal practitioner was ordered by the Bellville Commercial Crime Court yesterday to repay his victims a total of R346 280 by mid- January, or face seven years in prison.

Chris Lodewyk, 46, was also sentenced to two years house arrest, during which he has to do community service as a cleaner and maintenance worker at the Parow police station.

He pretended to be an attorney and financial adviser, and defrauded three victims after falsely advertising himself on the internet website Gumtree.

He appeared before magistrate Sabrina Sonnenberg.

He was sentenced on three counts of fraud and one of violating the Attorney’s Act, in pleabargain proceedings.

In addition to the house arrest, he was sentenced to seven years behind bars, suspended on condition that he repay his victims by mid-January.

Legal aid defence attorney Hailey Lawrence assured the court that an investment that was due for release in mid-January would enable Lodewyk to compensate his victims in full in accordance with the order. – Sapa