Greedy financial manager and his partner bust for stealing workers bonuses

A financial manager and his partner have been sentenced to prison after being extradited to South Africa for stealing millions of rands from their employer.

The Bellville Commercial Crimes Court handed down the sentences, with the financial manager, Marais, receiving an effective 12-year imprisonment, and his partner, Brian Wilson, receiving an effective 6-year imprisonment in the Western Cape.

Marais, who worked as a financial manager at Soma Initiative (Pty) Ltd between 2008 and 2019, had access to the company’s business bank account and was responsible for paying creditors and service providers.

Between April 13, 2018, and April 9, 2019, Marais, in collaboration with Wilson, stole over R15.4 million from the company’s bank accounts.

They deposited the money into their own accounts, pretending the payments were made to creditors and service providers.

Wilson made his bank accounts available for the illegal deposits, and together, the couple spent the money on gambling, which concealed the nature, source, location, disposition, or movement of the funds.

This constituted the money laundering charge against them.

The state argued that the couple committed the offenses out of greed, and their theft caused the company’s overheads to exceed a million per month, forcing the managing director to recapitalize the company with millions personally and settle outstanding VAT payments of approximately R1.5 million out of his pocket.

Eric Ntabazalila, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional communications manager, stated, “The sentences handed down to the accused show that the courts take financial crimes seriously. These crimes not only harm the victims directly but also have wider implications for the economy and society as a whole.”


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