A chartered accountant has been convicted of stealing R51m from his clients in the Eastern Cape.
The Gqeberha specialised commercial crimes court on Wednesday found Jonathan Simon Blow, 52, guilty of theft and fraud committed between July 3 2020 and September 19 2022.
Blow, who was appointed as accounting officer for Sunridge SuperSpar and Despatch SuperSpar, was given full access and administration rights to the two entities’ trading bank accounts used in the operation of the businesses.
In addition to the fees which invoiced the businesses, he unlawfully transferred R40m from Sunridge SuperSpar and more than R11m from Despatch SuperSpar to his bank account.
This was confirmed by the Hawks serious commercial crime investigation unit in Gqeberha.
“Blow was arrested on March 24 and was remanded in custody ever since his arrest,” Hawks spokesperson Capt Yolisa Mgolodela said.
The case was postponed until November 23 for the presentation of pre-sentencing and psychology reports.
“Blow also received notification of having been struck off the roll of the South African Institute for Chartered Accountants.”
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