A former bookkeeper in Gqeberha has been handed 15 years direct imprisonment for fraud.
The fraudster, Linda Labuschagne, appeared at the Gqeberha Specialised Commercial Court on Tuesday. According to police spokesperson Yolisa Mgolodela, the 44-year-old misappropriated R2.4-million from two companies she worked for between 2017 and 2022.
Mgolodela said Labuschagne tricked the clients of the two companies to pay money into a purported SA Revenue Service bank account that actually belonged to her.
“Between 2017 and 2020, Labuschagne was employed as a bookkeeper at the BVSA Tax Consultancy Firm and DP Wealth Tax Consultancy, respectively, where she misappropriated funds to the value of more than R2.4-million. From BVSA, she misappropriated more than R1.7-million and more than R680 000 from DP Wealth,” said Mgolodela in a statement.
“Labuschagne orchestrated the transactions by providing clients from both companies with bank accounts purporting to be those of SARS whereas they were her personal bank details.”
Mgolodela said the firms received complaints about unpaid tax returns from clients and the matter was handed over to the Hawks.
According to Mgolodela, Labuschagne, who was arrested on July 20 2021, was released on R10 000 bail on the same day and was rearrested on August 19 2022 after failing to adhere to her bail conditions by continuing with her fraudulent activities.
“Labuschagne made a short appearance at the Gqeberha New Law Court on the very same day and was released on R10 000 bail with conditions to cease her fraudulent conduct. She was convicted on 20 April 2022.”
Labuschagne, who started serving her 15-year sentence on Wednesday, is expected to return to court on September 26 for trial.
“She did not adhere to the bail conditions by continuing with other fraudulent tendencies that resulted in her rearrest by the commercial branch Mount Road task team on 19 August 2022. The new matter was remanded to 26 September 2022 for trial processes.”
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