Two found guilty of fraud

Two men who were arrested on suspicion of fraud at TJ Testing Station in Laing Street in December 2016 were found guilty in the George Regional Court on Monday 27 January.

This comes after it was found that they were involved in issuing a false roadworthy certificate to the buyer of a second-hand VW Polo Playa in January 2016.

Although the vehicle was never physically tested at TJ Testing Station, a roadworthy certificate authorised by the testing station was issued to the new owner of the Playa.

André Hobanie (34) and Christo Lourenco (52), both from Hoekwil, were arrested on 13 December 2016 by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) on charges of fraud.

Hobanie, a pit assistant at the time, claimed that he inspected the Polo on 22 January 2016. He also completed the application form for the roadworthy test. When questioned, Lourenco also confirmed that the vehicle was tested by them.

When the Polo was however tested later that month it was found to be unroadworthy.

The owner of TJ Testing Centre, Eugene Labuschagne, told the George Herald at the scene that the Hawks had arrested two of his employees and that he believed it was in connection with a vehicle that was on the premises in December 2015 and January 2016. He however refrained from commenting earlier this week, saying, "I have no comment as the matter is not yet finalised."

Labuschagne's testing station also made headlines in 2011 as the station had certified the Rheenendal school bus in which 14 school children and the bus driver died on 24 August 2011, as roadworthy in April of that year.

Robin Carlisle, the then Western

Cape Minister of Transport and Public Works, closed down the testing station shortly after the bus accident, but the station reopened when the Western

Cape High Court overturned Carlisle's decision.

Hobanie and Lourenco are not in custody and have been warned to be in court on 23 March when sentencing will take place in the regional court.