Foreign national sent to prison for over R700 000 theft

DURBAN – Felix Tepi Atto, a 33-year-old Cameroonian national was sentenced to 8 years imprisonment by Durban Regional Court after he was found guilty of theft amounting to R738 500 which he stole from a pensioner between the years 2018 and 2020.

Three years of his sentence were suspended on condition that he is not found of the similar offence during the period of his sentence. The convicted thief presented himself as a traditional healer to the victim and made him believe that he would multiply his pension money to the tune of five million rand. The victim handed him money for a period of two years and when his money was depleted he borrowed money from his former employer. He became suspicious when he did not receive the R5 million he was promised.

A case of theft was reported on 12 February 2020 and the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commercial Crime Investigation Unit started with the investigation. Felix was arrested on the same day at Durban CBD. He was denied bail and remanded in custody until the day of his sentence.

Source: South African Police Service