The Cinderella woman, Hildegard Steenkamp, accused of defrauding her former employer, a medical equipment company, of over R460-million, made her third court appearance at the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on a charge of fraud.
The case was, however, during the brief court appearance postponed to October 19, for further investigation.
The court heard that the money the accused allegedly stole could be more than what is already established.
The seemingly despondent Steenkamp donned a khaki hooded jacket with a pair of denim trousers and brown shoes arrived in court accompanied by her son and husband.
Steenkamp is facing charges of fraud‚ theft and money-laundering.
She made her first appearance in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on December 15 and was granted bail of R250 000.
She made her second appearance on February 28 and the matter was postponed to May 31. Her defence team also requested that her bail is extended, and the presiding magistrate extended it.
Once again, the family made a special arrangement to exit the building through the underground parking gate in Commissioner Street in efforts to whisk their loved one away from news camera crews, stationed outside the court’s main exit in Eloff Street.
All these come after Steenkamp was arrested by the Hawks Commercial Crime Unit at her home in Cilliers Street, Cinderella, on December 13, last year.
During her previous brief appearance on March 28, Steenkamp’s defence team requested the investigating officer is given the power to grant her permission to leave the province to see a psychiatrist.
Presiding magistrate Jeremy van Vuuren, however, declined the request, saying the court could not grant such powers, but that Steenkamp could make a formal application to the court if she wanted to see a doctor outside of the province.
The conditions of Steenkamp’s bail are that she:
- Must not interfere with state witnesses.
- Must submit both her passport and identity documents to the investigating officer.
- Must not leave town without the knowledge of the investigating officer.
- Must report to the Boksburg Police Station three times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays).
- Must not relocate from her Cinderella residence without informing the investigating officer.
Hawks spokesperson Capt Ndivhuwo Mulamu said Steenkamp, who worked as an accountant at multinational medical equipment supplier Medtronic‚ based in Midrand, allegedly duplicated payments by transferring money directly into her late husband’s bank account.
It was reported that years after she resigned‚ the company’s new accountant picked up irregularities and the information was then handed to the Hawks.
Following a three-month investigation, the Hawks descended on Steenkamp’s house with search-and-seizure warrants and attached the woman’s 11 luxury vehicles, motorcycles and seven immovable properties as well as furniture, appliances and jewellery worth millions of rands, according to Mulamu.-@MthuphaFanie
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