Couple pleads guilty to N$9.9m fraud

A married couple admitted guilt on more than 800 2charges of fraud, in excess of 800 counts of theft, and more than 800 counts of money laundering involving close to N$10 million in the Windhoek High Court yesterday. Amanda Jantjies (58) pleaded guilty to 873 charges of fraud and 871 counts of money laundering, while her husband, Barnard Jantjies (60), admitted guilt on 876 charges of theft and 871 counts of money laundering at the start of their trial before judge Eileen Rakow. The charges on which the couple admitted guilt involve a total amount of N$9.98 million that was stolen from the bus service close corporation Ekonolux over a five-year period from January 2014 to November 2018.

Amanda was a bookkeeper employed by Ekonolux when she and her husband committed the fraud, theft and money laundering to which they admitted guilt. Barnard, in his capacity as representative of the close corporation Bareli Building Services, of which he is the sole member, also pleaded guilty to 127 counts of theft and 125 charges of money laundering, involving a total amount of N$3.45 million that was stolen from Ekonolux. Amanda admitted that the crimes were committed when she made various payments from a bank account of Ekonolux to her own bank account, an account of her husband and an account of his close corporation, under the pretext that the payments were made to suppliers and clients of Ekonolux for goods purchased by Ekonolux or for services rendered to it.