The Kimberley Regional Court has convicted and sentenced a 43-year-old admitted attorney for defrauding a prospective tenant through a fake holiday accommodation advertisement on social media.
Alsa Van Aswegen appeared in court on charges of cyber fraud, cyber forgery, and uttering. According to the South African Police Service, Van Aswegen posted an advertisement on Facebook claiming ownership of a holiday cottage located in Hartenbos, Western Cape. The post featured photographs of the property, which were sent to the complainant.
The investigation revealed that the complainant made a payment into Van Aswegen’s bank account based on the misrepresented ownership. The case was assigned to Detective Sergeant Kerapetse Pholo of the Kimberley SAPS Fraud Unit.
A probe by the detective determined that Van Aswegen was not the lawful owner of the advertised cottage. Further inquiries suggested her involvement in similar incidents. Van Aswegen was later traced and arrested in Pretoria following a cybercrime investigation linking her to the offense.
During the subsequent trial, Van Aswegen pleaded guilty. The court sentenced her to a fine of R10,000 or three years’ imprisonment. Half of the sentence (R5,000 or 18 months’ imprisonment) was wholly suspended for three years, conditional upon her not being convicted of a similar crime during the suspension period.