Latest news with #FerdinandFortuin
News24
3 days ago
- News24
Bellville man sentenced to 5 years for hoax bomb threats
A Bellville man's attempt to avoid work backfired spectacularly, landing him in prison for five years. Nursing a hangover and unwilling to face his job, the man decided to make hoax bomb threats as an excuse to stay home. What seemed like a clever way to skip work turned into a costly mistake - instead of a day off, he earned himself a lengthy prison sentence. The case serves as a stark reminder that elaborate excuses can lead to serious legal consequences. The Bellville Regional Court has sentenced Ferdinand Fortuin to five years' direct imprisonment after he contacted the police, telling them that he had planted bombs at the Department of Water and Sanitation, Transnet Offices, and the Bellville taxi rank. According to the NPA, he gave the police hours to evacuate the premises. The accused made these threats following heavy drinking on Sunday, 10 November 2024, and decided that he did not want to go to work on Monday, 11 November 2024. He left his home in Mamre with the hope that the roads leading to Bellville would be closed because of his bomb threats. They were not, and he worked the whole day. The NPA further states that, in his plea and sentencing agreement, Fortuin confessed that he bought a cell phone from a drug user, which he used to make hoax calls to the police and a toll-free emergency number regarding the placement of explosive devices in the buildings, of which one was where he worked. The 50-year-old is said to have contacted the Bellville Police Station on 11 November 2024, informing officers that he had placed explosive devices at the Bellville Department of Water and Sanitation offices, the Transnet Park Building and the Bellville Taxi Rank. This resulted in the deployment of substantial state resources and the evacuation of thousands of people from the three sites. At the Water and Sanitation Department offices on Voortrekker Road, police assisted by three bomb disposal technicians, the K-9 Dog Unit, using explosive detection canines, and visible policing unit members, evacuated 164 people. Meanwhile, 151 people were evacuated from the department's Bellville South offices. Police, assisted by the same units, evacuated 250 people from the Transnet Park Building offices, and 3,000 people were evacuated from the taxi rank. The taxi rank was closed, and roads leading to and out of the taxi rank were closed, resulting in huge panic in the area. He was arrested and charged with four counts of contravention of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorism and Related Activities Act 33 of 2004 (POCDATARA) and for contravention of the Explosives Act 26 of 1956. The prescribed minimum sentence is 15 years' direct imprisonment unless the court finds substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed sentence. He was convicted on three counts of POCDATARA, and for purposes of sentencing, the charges were taken together, and he was sentenced to five years' direct imprisonment. The court found that he was a first offender, he had pleaded guilty, had strong personal circumstances, had shown remorse, and his acknowledgement of guilt made him a good candidate for a rehabilitative sentence. The NPA accepted the sentence of the court and warned that anyone who makes such threats will face tough consequences.
The Herald
4 days ago
- The Herald
Five years in jail for man who made hoax bomb threat to skip work
A Western Cape man who made a hoax bomb threat last year to avoid going to work the next day has been sentenced to five years in prison. The Bellville regional court on Monday convicted Ferdinand Fortuin, 50, who had contacted the Bellville police on Sunday, November 10 2024, telling them he had planted bombs at the department of water & sanitation offices, Transnet Park building and the Bellville taxi rank. 'He gave police hours to evacuate the premises. The accused made these threats after heavy drinking on Sunday and decided that he did not want to go to work on Monday, November 11, 2024,' National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said. Fortuin left his home in Mamre with the hope that the roads leading to Bellville would be closed because of his bomb threats. 'They were not and he worked the whole day.' In his plea and sentencing agreement, Fortuin confessed he had bought a cellphone from a drug user, which he used to make hoax calls to the police and a toll-free emergency number regarding the placement of explosive devices in the buildings, including the one where he worked. This resulted in the deployment of substantial state resources and the evacuation of thousands of people from the sites he mentioned. At the water & sanitation department offices on Voortrekker Road, police — assisted by three bomb disposal technicians, the K-9 Dog Unit using explosive detection canines and visible policing unit members — evacuated 164 people. Meanwhile, 151 people were evacuated from the department's Bellville South offices. Police also evacuated 250 people from the Transnet Park Building offices, and 3,000 people were evacuated from the taxi rank. 'The taxi rank was closed and roads leading to and out of the taxi rank were closed, resulting in huge panic in the area.' Fortuin was arrested and charged with four counts of contravening the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorism and Related Activities Act (Pocdatara) and for contravening the Explosives Act. The prescribed minimum sentence for contravening Pocdatara is 15 years' imprisonment unless the court finds substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed sentence. 'He was convicted on three counts of Pocdatara and, for purposes of sentencing, the charges were taken together and he was sentenced to five years' direct imprisonment.' The court found that he was a first offender, he had pleaded guilty, had strong personal circumstances, had shown remorse and his acknowledgment of guilt made him a good candidate for a rehabilitative sentence. 'The NPA accepts the sentence of the court and warns that anyone who makes such threats will face tough consequences,' Ntabazalila said. TimesLIVE
TimesLIVE
5 days ago
- TimesLIVE
Five years in jail for man who made hoax bomb threat to skip work
A Western Cape man who made a hoax bomb threat last year to avoid going to work the next day has been sentenced to five years in prison. The Bellville regional court on Monday convicted Ferdinand Fortuin, 50, who had contacted the Bellville police on Sunday, November 10 2024, telling them he had planted bombs at the department of water & sanitation offices, Transnet Park building and the Bellville taxi rank. 'He gave police hours to evacuate the premises. The accused made these threats after heavy drinking on Sunday and decided that he did not want to go to work on Monday, November 11, 2024,' National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said. Fortuin left his home in Mamre with the hope that the roads leading to Bellville would be closed because of his bomb threats. 'They were not and he worked the whole day.' In his plea and sentencing agreement, Fortuin confessed he had bought a cellphone from a drug user, which he used to make hoax calls to the police and a toll-free emergency number regarding the placement of explosive devices in the buildings, including the one where he worked. This resulted in the deployment of substantial state resources and the evacuation of thousands of people from the sites he mentioned. At the water & sanitation department offices on Voortrekker Road, police — assisted by three bomb disposal technicians, the K-9 Dog Unit using explosive detection canines and visible policing unit members — evacuated 164 people. Meanwhile, 151 people were evacuated from the department's Bellville South offices. Police also evacuated 250 people from the Transnet Park Building offices, and 3,000 people were evacuated from the taxi rank. 'The taxi rank was closed and roads leading to and out of the taxi rank were closed, resulting in huge panic in the area.' Fortuin was arrested and charged with four counts of contravening the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorism and Related Activities Act (Pocdatara) and for contravening the Explosives Act. The prescribed minimum sentence for contravening Pocdatara is 15 years' imprisonment unless the court finds substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed sentence. 'He was convicted on three counts of Pocdatara and, for purposes of sentencing, the charges were taken together and he was sentenced to five years' direct imprisonment.' The court found that he was a first offender, he had pleaded guilty, had strong personal circumstances, had shown remorse and his acknowledgment of guilt made him a good candidate for a rehabilitative sentence. 'The NPA accepts the sentence of the court and warns that anyone who makes such threats will face tough consequences,' Ntabazalila said.
IOL News
5 days ago
- IOL News
Mamre man sentenced to five years for hoax bomb threat
Ferdinand Fortuin was sentenced at the Bellville Regional Court for contravening the Terrorist Act after making a number of bomb threats at various sites in Cape Town last year. A 50-year-old Mamre man has been sentenced to five years imprisonment for making a hoax bomb threat last year. The Bellville Regional Court has sentenced Ferdinand Fortuin to five years' direct imprisonment after he contacted the police, telling them that he had planted bombs at the Department of Water and Sanitation, Transnet Offices, and the Bellville taxi rank. He gave police hours to evacuate the premises. "The accused made these threats following heavy drinking on Sunday, 10 November 2024, and decided that he did not want to go to work on Monday, 11 November 2024. He left his home in Mamre with the hope that the roads leading to Bellville would be closed because of his bomb threats. They were not, and he worked the whole day," the National Prosecuting Authority said in a statement. In his plea and sentencing agreement, Fortuin confessed that he bought a cellphone from a drug user, which he used to make hoax calls to the police and a toll-free emergency number regarding the placement of explosive devices in the buildings, of which one was where he worked.
The Citizen
5 days ago
- The Citizen
Man's fake threats to skip work earns him real jail time
Fortuin admitted that he had been drinking heavily the day before and 'did not want to go to work the following day'. A 50-year-old Bellville man who sparked mass panic by making hoax bomb threats to police has been sentenced to five years' direct imprisonment. The Bellville regional court convicted Ferdinand Fortuin on three counts under the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorism and Related Activities Act (POCDATARA), after he falsely claimed to have planted explosives at the Department of Water and Sanitation, Transnet offices and the Bellville taxi rank. The threats, made on 11 November 2024, forced the evacuation of more than 3 500 people and the deployment of multiple specialised police units. Bomb scare to avoid work According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Fortuin admitted in his plea and sentencing agreement that he had been drinking heavily the day before and 'did not want to go to work the following day'. 'He left his home in Mamre, expecting the roads leading to Bellville to be closed because of his bomb threats. They were not, and he worked the whole day,' the NPA said. Fortuin confessed to buying a cellphone from a drug user to make the hoax calls, including one to the toll-free emergency number, claiming to have placed explosives at the three locations, one of them being his own workplace. ALSO READ: Life for EC man who murdered partner during quarrel Mass evacuations and police deployment The threats triggered a large-scale emergency response. 'At the water and sanitation department offices on Voortrekker Road, police assisted by three bomb disposal technicians, the K-9 Dog Unit, and visible policing unit members evacuated 164 people,' the NPA said. Another 151 people were evacuated from the department's Bellville South offices. Police also cleared 250 people from the Transnet Park Building and evacuated around 3 000 people from the Bellville taxi rank, which was subsequently closed. Roads in and out of the rank were blocked, causing widespread disruption and panic. ALSO READ: Supreme Court upholds 20-year sentence for former ANC MP in R6m AgriB-BBEE fraud case Sentence reduced from minimum term Fortuin faced a prescribed minimum sentence of 15 years unless the court found 'substantial and compelling circumstances' to deviate. The court noted that he was a first offender, had pleaded guilty, shown remorse, and had 'strong personal circumstances' making him a candidate for rehabilitation. He was sentenced to five years' direct imprisonment on all charges combined. NPA regional spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said they accepted the court's decision but warned that similar offences would be met with severe consequences. 'The NPA will not hesitate to prosecute conduct of this nature to the full extent that the law allows,' he said. NOW READ: Amantle Samane case: Pethe Sara Simao to plead guilty on all counts — lawyer
