Sheriff gets three years for trust fund theft

THE SA Board for Sheriffs has lauded the sentencing of disgraced former Bredasdorp sheriff, Liezel Gertze, who was found guilty of theft .

The Bredasdorp Regional Court sentenced her to six years’ imprisonment of which three years were conditionally suspended for five years for the theft of trust funds.

The board initially launched an investigation against Gertze in 2015, after it received a complaint from Strauss Daly attorneys relating to trust funds.

The board says it became suspicious and visited her office on October 9, 2015 only to find that she was not there. And her office “was in total disarray”.

“Gertze’s financial records revealed large discrepancies in her trust account.

“The board has to date received various claims against the Fidelity Fund for Gertze, totalling more than R857 000,” the board said in a statement.

“The board welcomes the recent amendments to the Sheriffs Act, which requires sheriffs to pay over unclaimed trust funds to the Fidelity Fund.

“The board is finalising processes which will see it taking control of these unclaimed funds and reducing the risk of the monies being misappropriated by opportunistic sheriffs,” said SA Board for Sheriffs chairperson Charmaine Mabuza.

Mabuza said the board adopted zero tolerance to theft of trust monies as part of its three-year strategy.

“The board met with Police Minister Fikile Mbalula earlier this year and highlighted to him that in some instances trust account theft and fraud can be very sophisticated and complex.

“The board is committed to working closely with the SAPS and the National Prosecuting Authority to ensure that sheriffs who steal trust monies are criminally investigated and prosecuted,” the board said.

It received claims to the value of R15.6 million against the Fidelity Fund for Sheriffs for 2016/2017, it added.