NELSPRUIT – A 30-year-old pregnant woman has pleaded guilty to defrauding a company of R728 323,95. Lizette du Rand pleaded guilty to scamming Auto Tech Nelspruit in the regional court on January 29.
According to the magistrate, Mr Roelf Smith, Du Rand had stolen money every month from the company while she had worked there as an accountant over a period of two years.
He said due to her having her first pregnancy and the fact that she was willing to pay the full amount back, he gave her a five-year suspended sentence.
“She has to pay back the full amount within five years, which means she has to forfeit her pension money from the company and pay back about R10 000 per month.”
Smith said her husband had agreed to help with the payments.
The magistrate said if Du Rand failed with one month, she would immediately have to serve the remainder of the five years in jail. Smith stated this was the plead bargain that was struck between the defence and the state.
He reiterated that she had betrayed the ultimate trust of a company due to her position as an accountant in the firm.
