The Nxuba Regional Court has handed down a sentence to Wentzel Christoffel Lombard (60) of Waterval Farm, involving 36 months of correctional supervision for fraud. Lombard is also required to perform 576 hours of community service.
Additionally, the court ordered Lombard to pay R100,000 to Albertus Ebenhaezer Steenkamp within a year from the sentencing date. Furthermore, he received a seven-year prison sentence, suspended for five years, contingent on not committing any similar crime involving dishonesty during the suspension period.
Lombard was convicted on 27 September 2024, for deceitfully selling 191 cows to Steenkamp, claiming they were heavily pregnant to justify a higher price. However, only 105 of the cows were actually pregnant, resulting in a substantial financial loss for Steenkamp, who had borrowed R3 million from Vleissentraal to finance the purchase. This fraud led to an actual loss of over R1 million for Steenkamp.
Under his correctional supervision, Lombard is required to remain under house arrest, attend community service, participate in church services, complete correctional programs, and maintain employment. His community service involves working as a general laborer at a local community center in Nxuba, with 16 hours to be completed in the first month of his sentence starting 09 January 2025.
Lombard had pleaded not guilty to the charges on 08 February 2023 and has been granted leave to appeal his conviction. The court also declared him unfit to possess a firearm.
State Prosecutor Louise Brink, in her argument for a fitting sentence, highlighted the premeditated nature of Lombard's fraud and the significant financial impact on the complainant, underscoring the gravity of his actions.
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