Bogus cop gets 28 yrs

2003-09-01 22:21

Liela Magnus

Pretoria - A man impersonating a policeman while trying to sell dockets to suspects was sentenced to 28 years in prison in the Pretoria commercial court on Monday.

Andre Wessels, 34, was found guilty on 39 charges of housebreaking, theft, fraud, forgery and escaping from police custody.

Six charges against Wessels were dropped. He received 65 years for 38 charges, which will run concurrently for 25 years.

Another three years were added for escaping from prison.

Magistrate Bill Moyses said in his verdict Wessels was "too bad" to work.

"The crimes were planned and committed out of greed. You are incorrigible. The court must protect the public against people like you."

He warned Wessels he could be classified an habitual criminal if he fell foul of the law again.

Escaped

Wessels had been awaiting trial about five years without bail when he escaped and fled to Nelspruit in Mpumalanga, where he continued his life of crime.

According to his charge sheet, Wessels broke into police stations a number of times, stealing dockets, uniforms, two-way radios and a computer disc from the Pretoria murder and robbery unit. He pretended to be a policeman and tried to sell the dockets.

He stole a number of cheque books and identity documents, which he used to commit fraud.

He also broke into university residences in Pretoria, where his loot included computers and wallets belonging to students.

Wessels plans to appeal against the sentence.

- Beeld