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Her husband who was initially implicated in the case, had all charges against him withdrawn.
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A bookkeeper’s elaborate tax fraud scheme has come crashing down, landing her behind bars for 12 years after she scammed the South African Revenue Service (Sars) out of millions.
The sentence given to 35-year-old Jessica Marieka Janse Van Niewenhuys comes after she was found guilty of extensive tax fraud and money laundering that cost Sars more than R9 million.
Janse Van Niewenhuys received her sentence in the Free State Division of the High Court in Bloemfontein on Friday.
Fraud charges against husband withdrawn
According to police spokesperson Warant Officer Fikiswa Matoti, the court convicted Janse Van Niewenhuys on 181 counts of fraud and 38 counts of money laundering.
“All counts were taken together for the purpose of sentencing, resulting in 12 years imprisonment,” said Matoti.
Matoti added that as part of her sentence, she was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
Her husband, Petrus Janse Van Niewenhuys, 36, who was initially implicated in the case, had all charges against him withdrawn.
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Bookeeper’s R9m fraud investigation details
In a police statement, Matoti said the Hawks’ serious commercial crime investigation unit in Welkom revealed that between 2018 and 2022, Jessica systematically submitted fraudulent tax returns while working as a bookkeeper for four Parys-based companies.
She extended her fraudulent activities to include false submissions on behalf of her husband, who was employed at various mining projects during this period.
“As a result of the fraud committed, Sars suffered a loss amounting to over R9 million,” Matoti explained.
The couple was arrested in Gqeberha on 27 May 2024, following an extensive investigation by the Hawks in Welkom.
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Recovery efforts underway
Major General Mokgadi Bokaba, Free State Head of the Hawks, expressed satisfaction with the sentence.
“A process to recoup what was benefited from this crime is underway,” she stated, while commending all parties involved for securing what she described as “a lengthy sentence that will send a stern message to other criminals”.
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