Fraudster jailed for fake house sales

A man who cheated would-be home buyers has been incarcerated for two separate fraud cases.

Granville Saunderson, 33, was convicted in the Upington regional court in August 2023 for defrauding a victim of R178,000 through a fake house sale transaction in December 2022. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment suspended on condition he compensated the victim, and was released on a repayment arrangement which he failed to honour.

Northern Cape police spokesperson Sgt Omphile Masegela said a warrant of arrest was issued, and his six-year sentence became effective after his rearrest in May.

Another case against him was under investigation at the time of his rearrest.

He had advertised a house for sale in October last year and the unsuspecting victim who was interested started communicating with him.

“After an agreement for a R140,000 purchase price, the victim was granted a draft sale agreement while occupying the house. An amount of R70,000 was paid into the account of the accused. The victim later learnt the house did not belong to the accused, and the sale transaction was illegitimate,” said Masegela.

Saunderson was convicted in the case for cyberfraud and money laundering in the Upington regional court and sentenced to eight years and five years' imprisonment respectively, to be served concurrently with the previous sentence.

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