A Cape Town doctor has been sentenced in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court in connection with the selling and distribution of scheduled medicine worth about R5 million.
Bert Wolfgang Kirsten entered into a plea agreement with the State.
The investigation was led by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as Hawks).
The provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, Warrant Officer Zinzi Hani said the matter was investigated by the Hawks’ South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau team (Saneb).
Kirsten pleaded guilty to 1,198 counts for selling scheduled medicine, as well as 570 counts of money laundering, according to Section 4 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca).
“This emanates from an incident that occurred in October 2018, where scheduled medicine was seized after search warrants were executed as part of Hawks’ probe into an alleged illegal medicine distribution network involving multiple countries.
“Kirsten, as well as his wife, Shelly, were then arrested by the Hawks’ Saneb, together with the Wynberg Visible Policing Unit at Kenilworth Post Office after he had handed in envelopes containing scheduled medicines destined for the US.
“The couple appeared in court on charges of contravening the Medicines and Related Substances Control Act‚ read with the Drug and Drug Trafficking Act,” Hani said.
The couple were granted bail, with Kirsten granted R80,000 bail, while his wife was granted R20,000 bail.
As the matter progressed, the State withdrew all charges against Kirtsen’s wife.
Kirsten was sentenced on counts 1 to 1,1198 for selling and distribution of scheduled medicine to eight years imprisonment which was wholly suspended for a period of five years on condition he is not convicted on the same offence during the period of suspension.
The charges were withdrawn on counts 1,199 to 2,260 for exporting scheduled medicines.
On counts 2,261 to 2,830 for money laundering, Kirsten was sentenced to six years imprisonment which was wholly suspended for a period of five years on condition he is not convicted of the same offence during the suspension period.
The court further sentenced Kirsten to three years of house arrest.
He had also been ordered to pay R5 million to the Criminal Asset Recovery Account.
IOL