Pieter Jacobus Adams, a former Chief Clerk at Bergrivier Municipality, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on January 28, 2025, after pleading guilty to 435 counts of fraud.
Adams, 57, was convicted for his involvement in issuing fraudulent electricity tokens to pre-paid meter customers between March 2016 and September 2019, leading to a financial loss of R1,310,507.40 for the municipality. He was employed by Bergrivier Municipality in Piketberg from July 2002 until his resignation in November 2019.
Under the terms of his sentence, Adams will serve four years of direct imprisonment, with six years suspended for five years. Additionally, a confiscation order was made under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA), requiring Adams' full pension fund benefit of R510,106.31 from the Municipal Workers Retirement Fund to be paid to Bergrivier Municipality.
The fraud was uncovered when Adams issued 700,918.3 units of free electricity tokens, which he would later sell to customers for cash, defrauding the municipality.
The case was investigated by the Hawks' Serious Commercial Crime Unit, and Adams was arrested on March 7, 2023, following the execution of an arrest warrant.
Major General Makgato, the Provincial Head of the Hawks, praised the investigation team for their efforts in securing the conviction and sentence.