Paddy Matlolane and his father Sello, who is now 78 years old, were defrauded of more than R200 000 that they’d loaned from the Land Bank to purchase dairy cows and a milk tank through Johan Olivier in 2012. 

The Matlolane’s, who farm in the Hobhouse area, opened a case when delivery of the animals failed to materialise and certain other red flags started flapping.

The Bloemfontein Regional Court on Monday handed down judgment. Olivier and his wife Johanna were both found guilty on charges of fraud and money-laundering.

Paddy says it has been a long, hard journey. “It has encouraged us. I won’t say we are excited because we have lost a lot of money but it has encouraged us that the law still rules in South Africa. One cannot go and rob people and get off scot-free. It took us very long to resolve this but I think the bottom line is that we have won the case and stand a chance of maybe recovering what we have lost.”

He says of the initial amount, they have probably lost about R100 000. They also had to service the Land Bank loan for about six months without having any animals to show for it.

Paddy says he is hopeful this outcome will now pave the way for them to recover the money they lost.

The case was meanwhile postponed to March 30 for sentencing to allow necessary reports to be compiled.

OFM News