Free State family faces court over alleged R900,000 fuel business fraud
A family is facing fraud, theft and money laundering charges after allegedly diverting more than R900,000 from a fuel business through multiple bank accounts in Free State.
In a Hoopstad court, a Hoopstad family and their company have found themselves in legal trouble, accused of business fraud, theft, and money laundering totalling over R900,000. Leading the accused are father Pieter Smit, 63, his spouse Elizabeth Smit, 62, and their sons Marnu Smit, 32, and Estean Smit, 30, alongside their company, Landboudienste Diesel (Pty) Ltd, before the Hoopstad Magistrate's Court.
The legal matter originates from the 2021 sale of the R700 Truck Stop in Hoopstad. The complainant, who expressed interest in the truck stop after hearing from the then-owner, Pieter Smit, proceeded to buy it for approximately R1.7 million, allowing the Smit family to continue operating it. However, the complainant began to suspect foul play when the business failed to yield anticipated profits.
Upon closer inspection, the complainant allegedly uncovered that more than R900,000 had been misappropriated through various bank accounts. The spokesperson for Hawks, Lieutenant Colonel Zweli Mohobeleli, revealed that the accused allegedly swindled the considerable sum by transferring it between different bank accounts, including that of Landboudienste Diesel (Pty) Ltd, a company where one of the Smit sons holds a directorship.
Subsequently, the investigation was handed over to Hawks' Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit in Welkom. Following a thorough probe, warrants for arrest were issued and executed on Monday, leading to the release of the four family members and the company on R5,000 bail each. The legal proceedings were subsequently delayed until September 16, 2026, at the Specialised Commercial Crime Court in Bloemfontein.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
