A gambling addict was on Friday jailed for six years for stealing more than R2-million from two legal firms while in their employ as a bookkeeper.
Paulina Cronje, 52, wept as police led her from the prisoner's dock to the holding cells at the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crime Court.
Magistrate Amrith Chabillal said he would be failing in his duty not to jail her as a non-custodial sentence would give the wrong message to the community.
Cronje first worked as bookkeeper for the Paarl lawyer's firm, Van Wyk Fouche, where she stole R1 289 656 from the trust account over a period of 11 years.
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She then moved to the Malmesbury firm, Terblanche Slabbert Pieters, where as bookkeeper she embezzled R710 656, also trust funds.
Chabillal said some of the money stolen from the second firm had been used to repay the first.
The magistrate agreed with prosecutor Ezmeralda Johnson that there were serious aggravating factors.
She stole from her employers, taking money from their respective trust accounts.
He said he also agreed with defence attorney Deon Louw that Cronje was a pathological gambler, and as such had diminished criminal responsibility.
She was sentenced on 153 counts of fraud, and one of money laundering, all taken as one.
Chabillal said she in fact qualified for the prescribed minimum sentence of 15 years for fraud involving in excess of R500 000, unless there were substantial and compelling circumstances justifying a less severe sentence.
He said her personal estate had be sequestrated, which in itself was severe punishment. This, together with her diminished criminal capacity, enabled the court to deviate from the prescribed sentence.
"As a pathological gambler, you had an overriding urge to gamble, but after a night at the casino you go home - one wonders what went on in your mind as you lay in bed," Chabillal said.
"As a pathological gambler stealing money to feed your addiction, did you not realise that you were doing wrong and in need of help?"
Chabillal said he could not understand why gambling addicts realised they needed help only after they had been caught stealing. - Sapa
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