KARIEGA - WOMAN, 45, GETS JAIL SENTENCE AFTER R43 000 INSURANCE CLAIM FOR 18CT GOLD RING SHE NEVER LOST

SAPS Uitenhage Commercial Crime Task Team welcomed the successful prosecution of Dominique Miles, aged 45 years on a charge of forgery and uttering. 

This was the first successful prosecution relating to an investigation of this nature for the Kariega task team and it was attributed due to the determination of a team of committed SAPS and insurance investigators.

According to testimony in court, the Kariega accused claimed that she was cleaning her home, when she lost her 18ct white gold ring set with 66 brilliant cut diamonds and 12 marquise cut diamonds in the garbage bags.  

(The bags could not be checked due to the fact that it was already discarded when she realised the ring was missing). 

Miles then contacted her insurance company, who instructed her to obtain quotations for the loss. 

 The replacement value of the ring was estimated at R43 000-00.  

The insurance company detected loopholes in the claim and contacted the SAPS Uitenhage Commercial Crime Task Team for assistance.  

A fraud case was opened on Tuesday, 3 November 2020 and further investigations proved that the document that was handed in was falsified by the accused herself. 

Thorough investigations led the team to the successful prosecution that was handed down on Thursday, 20 January 2022. 

The accused was found guilty and sentenced by the Kariega magistrate’s court on count one: forgery: R3000-00 or 180 days in prison of which half is suspended for 5 years on the condition that the accused is not convicted of fraud, theft, forgery or uttering committed during the period of suspension.  

On count two - uttering: a fine of R3000-00 or 180 days imprisonment. It was also established that the accused never lost the ring but was in actual fact still in possession of the 18ct white gold ring.

SAPS Uitenhage Acting Station Commander, Colonel André Swart has welcomed the sentencing meted out by the court and said, “hopefully this sentence will send out a strong warning to the community that it doesn’t pay to submit false insurance claims -  in the end you will lose more than you gain. A false insurance claim can lead to a jail sentence, substantial fines and a permanent criminal record”. 

SAPS