A man who stole more than R7 million from his employer has been sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment.
Marinus van Rooyen, who was employed for nearly four years as financial manager at a business in Hermanus, stood with bowed shoulders as magistrate Herman Pieters read his sentence out last week.
He had been convicted of stealing R7,5 million over a period of approximately three years from his employer, by siphoning off “insignificant amounts” into existing accounts.
This was done in such a sly manner, the magistrate pointed out, that auditors initially did not detect the missing amounts.
Van Rooyen, who was arrested in August 2020, was released a short while later on bail of R10 000. He has been in prison since his conviction in September.
“R7,5 million is a huge amount of money,” the magistrate said in passing sentence.
“I take it with a pinch of salt there is nothing left of the money. I have the suspicion that some money is hidden in somebody else’s account.”
He went on to say that there seems to be no reason for Van Rooyen to have committed the crime except to blow his own horn and impress women.
“You did not buy luxury cars or a luxury home. Instead, you handed out money left and right.”
Evidence before the court indicates Van Rooyen used a portion of the stolen money to:. book into hotels 58 times; . make several deposits amounting to R870 000 to a female friend; . pay his daughter’s university fees.
It was also stated Van Rooyen had made several ATM withdrawals amounting to nearly R4 million.
“The court should mete out punishment to illustrate that crime doesn’t pay,” Pieters stated. “I cannot comprehend how a business could survive something like this.”
He dismissed the defence’s submission that Van Rooyen had been like Robin Hood who stole from the rich to give to the poor.
Herold Engelbrecht was the prosecutor.
