Disgraced Gqeberha attorney and convicted fraudster Anne Swanepoel was sentenced to an effective 10 years’ imprisonment by the city’s Commercial Crimes Court on Thursday.
Swanepoel was found guilty of fraud, contempt of court and theft totalling R56,000.
She sobbed in the dock as magistrate Onica van Papendorp handed down her sentence.
Van Papendorp said due to the seriousness of the offence, as well as the interests of the victims and the community at large, the only suitable sentence was one of direct imprisonment.
She said it was frightening to see how many legal practitioners had found themselves on the wrong side of the law.
Swanepoel’s personal circumstances, such as the fact that she was a primary caregiver of her autistic son, had also been taken into account.
Van Papendorp encouraged Swanepoel to use her time in prison to take responsibility for what she had done and to truly rehabilitate herself.
Swanepoel’s application for leave to appeal against her conviction and sentence was dismissed.
HeraldLIVE