The Citizen reports that Boksburg accountant Hildegard Steenkamp has been sentenced to an effective 50 years in prison for stealing R537m from her former employer.

The Johannesburg Commercial Crimes Court on Friday found her guilty of over 330 counts of theft from Medtronic over a 13-year period. She also defrauded the SA Revenue Service of around R311m. Sentencing began in August and was concluded on Friday. Steenkamp had earlier claimed her late husband Mathys Steenkamp had forced her to commit the crimes, and had been abusive, but this was dismissed by the court. Magistrate Phillip Venter highlighted that it had taken Steenkamp five years to plead guilty. Forensic investigator Graeme Dawes had told the court that an analysis of bank statements showed that Steenkamp had spent a significant amount on expensive overseas trip, jewellery, gambling and clothes. It also showed she spent R5m in one night, gambling overseas.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kyle Zeeman at The Citizen

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