The trial of a married couple accused of fraud, theft and money laundering involving a total amount of N$9.9 million is scheduled to start in the Windhoek High Court at the beginning of June.
The couple, Amanda Jantjies (58) and Barnard Jantjies (60), were informed during a court appearance before deputy judge president Shafimana Ueitele and judge Philanda Christiaan on Thursday that their trial is scheduled to start on 1 June.
Amanda is facing 873 counts of fraud, 876 charges of theft and 871 counts of money laundering.
Her husband is charged with 876 counts of theft and 871 charges of money laundering, while a close corporation represented by him, Bareli Building Services, is charged with 127 counts of theft and 125 counts of money laundering.
All of the offences that the couple and the close corporation are charged with are alleged to have been committed while Amanda was employed as a bookkeeper by the bus transport service Ekonolux.
The state is alleging that during the period from January 2014 to November 2018, she paid money from a bank account of Ekonolux to her own bank account and an account of Bareli Building Services, and also made payments from the account of Ekonolux to settle her and her husband’s personal expenses.
An amount of N$3.4 million was paid from a bank account of Ekonolux to an account of Bareli Building Services, the state is alleging.
It is also alleged that Amanda made fraudulent payments totalling N$9.98 million from the bank account of Ekonolux.
According to the state, the alleged fraudulent payments were discovered after the owner of Ekonolux instructed its general manager during December 2018 to investigate suspicious transactions reflected on the close corporation’s bank account records.
The fraud is alleged to have started on a relatively small scale, with a total amount of N$19 389 paid from a bank account of Ekonolux to Amanda’s account in January 2014.
However, the fraud soon escalated, with a total amount of N$136 791 paid to Amanda’s account in July 2014, a total amount of N$145 693 paid to her account in May 2017 and N$149 499 paid to her account in August 2018, the state is alleging.
Amanda is being represented by defence lawyer Dawn Marondedze, while her husband is represented by Janita von Wielligh.
State advocate Ian Malumani represented the prosecution during the couple’s court appearance on Thursday.
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