South Africans Demand Harsh Sentence for R537 Million Embezzler Hidlegard Steenkamp
- Hildegard Steenkamp apologised pleaded for the courts to have mercy on her after she was convicted of theft
- The former accountant stole R537 million from her employer, which she worked as an accountant for
- Slith Africans did not want to hear it and demanded that the judge not be lenient on her
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South Africans demanded that Hildegard Steenkamp, convicted of stealing R537 million from her employer, be given a harsh sentence.
This was after she asked the courts to be lenient on her when imposing a sentence. She claimed she stole the money and gambled to escape her abusive husband.
Steenkamp to be sentenced for theft
Steenkamp told the Johannesburg Commercial Crimes Court in Palm Ride that she was a gambler and fell into gambling to escape her abusive husband. She then apologized and asked for forgiveness after the state called for a 25-year sentence. Steenkamp’s story made headlines when she was arrested in 2017 after being caught stealing from her employer, Medtronic (Pty) Ltd, where she worked as an accountant. She was convicted of the theft in May this year.
She confessed that she siphoned R537 million, which was spent funding her fabulous lifestyle. She spent the money gambling in five years and splurged over R30 million on international holiday trips. However, according to IOL, the state said that she showed no remorse and her greed motivated her actions.
Netizens furious over woman's 'apology'
South Africans commenting on X (formerly Twitter) that the state must not go easy on her.
Kwena Molekwa said:
“Be lenient for what? She is a criminal and must be treated as such.”
Mqhele (Mikel) asked:
“Haibo! Was she lenient when expropriating the R537 million?”
Ihhashi lamaNjomane pointed out:
“When you’ve ‘misplaced’ over half a billion, leniency is the last Hail Mary pass!”
Henry was indignant.
“She stole over half a billion and expects the judge to be lenient? This is just insane!”
I am what I am wrote:
“Hell no! She did not expect to be caught. She had a jolly fine time spending money that was never hers, to begin with. No money, no leniency.”
Man sentenced for university fraud
In a similar article, Briefly News reported that a man from the Eastern Cape was sentenced to 18 years for defrauding 81 students and staff members from Walter Sisulu University.
The man admitted to defrauding them of R1.2 million, which he laundered into his bank accounts. The money was set aside as salaries and to assist financially disadvantaged students.
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Source: Briefly News
