A SOUTH AFRICAN businessman still hasn’t received a cent back from a Zimbabwean national who defrauded him of property worth more than R700 000.
Elizabeth Nyathi, 53, a former top business executive at AAG Zimbabwe, was given six years in prison at the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Friday after being found guilty of 10 counts of fraud.
Nyathi duped the Old Johannesburg Warehouse Auctioneers in Selby by making fake payments to settle items worth R721 579 she purchased from four auctions.
Christiaan Scholtz, the owner of the Old Johannesburg Warehouse Auctioneers, told The Star that since the trial started last year he hadn’t recovered the lost money.
“We have not received any money back and there are always promises, but the magistrate said it’s very unlikely that we’re getting any back.
“It taught us some lessons about business and not to trust everyone anymore, but the business is strong, so we are blessed,” he said.
The antique goods included seven Rolex watches, diamond and gold rings, kitchenware and furniture, which Nyathi had bought between January and April.
Nyathi will be deported to Zimbabwe after serving her time. Oswell said Nyathi had a gift to manipulate people without showing any remorse.
Prosecutor Richard Chabalala said:
The complainant was at least consoled by the fact that “the people who caused their loss will be spending time behind bars and later be removed from the Republic of South Africa and returned to Zimbabwe.
Victories of this sort send a loud and clear message to other like-minded people that these types of crime will not go unpunished, and it helps to instil fear in criminals.
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