Extortionist sentenced to 10 years

GEORGE NEWS - A former director of Mertenton Consulting, a company that previously held the municipal contract for water meter readings in George, was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, five of which are suspended for five years, for his role in an extortion scheme targeting the construction industry in George and Mossel Bay.

Fabian Mertenton (38), who has been in custody since his arrest in March 2024, pleaded guilty on the extortion charges in the Plettenberg Bay Court yesterday, 16 July, and was sentenced earlier today.

The court also declared him unfit to own a firearm.

In March 2024, Mertenton threatened and demanded R2 million from a local construction company. The construction company informed the police about the threats who initiated a sting operation on Wednesday, 20 March 2024.

A multidisciplinary police team executed the operation at a house in Plattner Boulevard, Kingswood Golf Estate, where five men and one woman were arrested and a substantial amount of cash was confiscated.

Further investigation by the Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Extortion Unit uncovered a scheme involving threats and demands for money from businesses in the construction sector.

Electronic evidence, including emails and WhatsApp messages, directly linked Mertenton to the extortion activities. He was the only one of the arrested group formally charged and kept in custody. The other five suspects were later released.

Mertenton earlier claimed his frustration with not getting work on the construction sites led to the threats.
Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile applauded the investigation and prosecution team for their commitment to bringing Mertenton to justice.

“This conviction and sentencing should serve as a deterrent to those who intend to commit similar offences,” said Patekile. “Extortionists targeting the construction sector or any other business threaten the economy of this region. The police will ensure that no effort is spared to bring those to book once reported.”

Mertenton has one previous conviction, malicious damage to property in 2010; and one pending matter of fraud in Mossel Bay.

Three of the original suspects, a 28-year-old woman from Knysna and two men from Kuils River, aged 51 and 54, were granted R5 000 bail each by the George Magistrate’s Court on 28 March 2024. All denied knowledge of any extortion plot and have no previous convictions or pending cases.

During the March operation, police also seized two licensed firearms, an imitation firearm, and cash.
At the time, Southern Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Chris Spies said the items were found in the possession of the suspects at the time of the arrests.

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