Staff Reporter
The Free State High Court has sentenced the former bodyguard of ex-premier Ace Magashule to an effective 15 years in prison.
Ricardo Mettler was found guilty on four charges relating to a Pierneef painting worth R8 million.
Judge Soma Naidoo sentenced him to 15 years for stealing the painting from the Office of the Premier.
Mettler was also sentenced to another 15 years for money laundering for offering the painting to a Chinese businessman as a guarantee for loan.
The court also added another 15 years for fraud.
In a statement released on Wednesday, National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said Mettler pretended that the painting was donated to him by Magashule and that it legally belonged to him.
In addition, Judge Naidoo sentenced Mettler to 12 months for making a false statement to the police, in which he said Magashule gave him the painting.
“Mettler stole the painting in March 2018 while helping to vacate the office of Magashule,” said Shuping.
“He removed the barcode and covered it with brown paper. He then offered the painting to Wei-Lun Hsu, for a loan of between R2 million and R3 million. Hsu placed the painting in the newspapers to see if there is no one who will claim it.”
But Mettler’s luck ran out after a senior official from the Department of Public Works recognised the painting and contacted him requesting that he returns it.
Mettler refused and a charge of theft was laid against him.
In aggravation of sentence, Advocate Antoinette Ferreira told the court that Mettler knew he was stealing a valuable painting the day he took it from the Premier’s Office.
“The accused had a motive when he wanted to disguise the marking (on the painting),” said Ferreira.
“He knew the painting was valuable when he wanted to offer it to Hsu as a guarantee.
“He was twice requested to return the painting but he refused. He was motivated by greed.
“He abused his position of trust and there is a public outcry from the community of public officials who think they are entitled to government resources.”
Mettler will effectively serve 15 years after the court ordered the sentences to run concurrently.