Police should think twice before making fraudulent claims. This was a hard lesson to learn for a former cop slapped with a R10,000 fine for R4,000 fraud committed in the Northern Cape.
Johan Fredrick Burger, a former lieutenant-colonel, was convicted and sentenced by the Kimberley magistrate's court on Wednesday for claiming for a trip he did not make.
The 62-year-old, who worked at provincial crime intelligence in Kimberley, was supposed to attend a work session in Pretoria, but it was postponed before he could travel.
According to the Hawks, in November 2019 Burger submitted a fraudulent travel claim of R3,974.60, purporting to have attended a work session.
Burger was served with a summons in December 2021 by the Hawks’ serious corruption investigation team and he pleaded guilty.
He was sentenced to a fine of R10,000 or 12 months' imprisonment, which is suspended for five years.
He was further ordered to pay back the money to the police
