Macro fine for ‘micro’ folly

A FORMER Ministry of Agriculture official’s short-lived attempt to steal N$350 000 from a bank account of the Ministry’s donor-funded Micro Projects Programme is set to cost her N$50 000 or five years of her freedom.

Mirsolova Gwynneth Stephanus learned this after she pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud in the Windhoek Regional Court yesterday. Based on her plea, Magistrate Dinnah Usiku convicted Stephanus of fraud and sentenced her to a fine of N$50 000 or five years’ imprisonment.Magistrate Usiku also sentenced Stephanus to a further five-year prison term, which was suspended in full for five years on condition that Stephanus is not convicted of any crime involving dishonesty during the period of suspension.Stephanus had to pay N$10 000 of the fine yesterday, and was given until the end of the month to pay the remaining N$40 000.’ILLEGAL REQUEST’ According to a written plea explanation that Stephanus’s defence counsel, Sarel Maritz, submitted to the court, she admitted that she had illegally requested officials at Standard Bank Namibia’s Windhoek branch to transfer N$350 000 from the account of the Micro Projects Programme on February 25 last year.The money was transferred to an account of her minor son at Bank Windhoek.Stephanus, a 32-year-old single mother of two children, further admitted that she was not entitled to the money.Maritz told the court that the transfer was carried out on a Friday.During the weekend that followed, he said, Stephanus realised the foolishness of what she had done and had the money transferred back to the Micro Projects Programme’s original account on the following Monday.Neither the bank nor the Micro Projects Programme suffered any permanent financial loss in the end, Maritz informed the Magistrate.The Micro Projects Programme is a rural development support programme that is jointly funded by Government and the European Commission.According to Maritz, Stephanus was battling to make ends meet as a single parent.He said both her children had health problems, which led to a situation where she had to make excess payments of as much as N$1 500 each month on her family’s medical aid scheme.She had been widowed when her husband was killed by a friend almost 10 years ago, Maritz also told the Magistrate.Stephanus was not a hardened criminal, but merely a human being who had fallen victim to the temptation posed by the N$350 000 that was in the targeted account; as soon as she realised the stupidity of what she had done, she tried to correct her mistake, Maritz argued.Stephanus had been in a position in which she was responsible for the transfer of funds for the Micro Projects Programme, Public Prosecutor Carlo McLeod told the Magistrate when he addressed her before the sentencing.Although no actual loss had been suffered, Stephanus still “has literally bitten the hand that fed her”, McLeod commented.Stephanus was arrested on February 28 2005.She was granted bail of N$10 000 on March 2 last year.Based on her plea, Magistrate Dinnah Usiku convicted Stephanus of fraud and sentenced her to a fine of N$50 000 or five years’ imprisonment.Magistrate Usiku also sentenced Stephanus to a further five-year prison term, which was suspended in full for five years on condition that Stephanus is not convicted of any crime involving dishonesty during the period of suspension.Stephanus had to pay N$10 000 of the fine yesterday, and was given until the end of the month to pay the remaining N$40 000.’ILLEGAL REQUEST’ According to a written plea explanation that Stephanus’s defence counsel, Sarel Maritz, submitted to the court, she admitted that she had illegally requested officials at Standard Bank Namibia’s Windhoek branch to transfer N$350 000 from the account of the Micro Projects Programme on February 25 last year.The money was transferred to an account of her minor son at Bank Windhoek.Stephanus, a 32-year-old single mother of two children, further admitted that she was not entitled to the money.Maritz told the court that the transfer was carried out on a Friday. During the weekend that followed, he said, Stephanus realised the foolishness of what she had done and had the money transferred back to the Micro Projects Programme’s original account on the following Monday.Neither the bank nor the Micro Projects Programme suffered any permanent financial loss in the end, Maritz informed the Magistrate.The Micro Projects Programme is a rural development support programme that is jointly funded by Government and the European Commission.According to Maritz, Stephanus was battling to make ends meet as a single parent.He said both her children had health problems, which led to a situation where she had to make excess payments of as much as N$1 500 each month on her family’s medical aid scheme.She had been widowed when her husband was killed by a friend almost 10 years ago, Maritz also told the Magistrate.Stephanus was not a hardened criminal, but merely a human being who had fallen victim to the temptation posed by the N$350 000 that was in the targeted account; as soon as she realised the stupidity of what she had done, she tried to correct her mistake, Maritz argued.Stephanus had been in a position in which she was responsible for the transfer of funds for the Micro Projects Programme, Public Prosecutor Carlo McLeod told the Magistrate when he addressed her before the sentencing.Although no actual loss had been suffered, Stephanus still “has literally bitten the hand that fed her”, McLeod commented.Stephanus was arrested on February 28 2005.She was granted bail of N$10 000 on March 2 last year.