A Northern Cape diamond dealer, 53-year-old Poalu Sercio Martins Bernardo was sentenced in the Springbok Regional Court on three counts of illegal dealing in unpolished diamonds.
Provincial spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as Hawks), Warrant Officer Nomthandazo Mnisi, said Bernardo was found guilty in the same court.
He was arrested in March 2022, by members of the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team during a project-driven investigation.
“Three transactions were conducted with the accused whereby he purchased five unpolished state diamonds with a weight of 10 carats,” Mnisi said.
Bernardo, who was convicted of all counts against him, was sentenced to pay a combined fine of R150,000 or six years imprisonment, each suspended for five years on the condition that he is not found guilty of the same charge.
Furthermore, an order by the court in terms of Section 300 of the Criminal Procedure Act was also granted for the amount of R125,834 in favour of the State. The amount of R144,000 (cash paid during the transaction) was also forfeited to the State.
In a separate incident, the Springbok High Court sentenced two Botswana nationals and two South African men for the murder of Khalil Lofty Ghazy, an Egyptian businessman outside the Kekkel en Kraai shop in Springbok.
Ditiro Brooks, 28, Rapaleng Brooks, 27, siblings from Botswana, their South Africa co-accused Kgagamatso Mokoding, 42, and Ohentse Bless, 30, were sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for murder, 18 years imprisonment for robbery, and five years imprisonment for illegal possession of ammunition and a firearm.
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