Weekend jail for stealing chess tournament money

IN A final move before sentencing a Port Elizabeth lawyer to a periodical sentence for stealing R100 000 meant for a junior chess tournament, the court asked Marius van Zyl yesterday why it had been necessary for him to steal the money.

Van Zyl, 50, a lawyer for 15 years, said he had been in financial trouble and planned to put the money back almost immediately as he was expecting a large payout from a civil case, but this had not materialised in time.

Magistrate Louis Claassen sentenced Van Zyl to a periodical sentence of 2 000 hours in prison, mean- ing he will stay behind bars over weekends. He was ordered to hand himself over to Kirkwood prison authorities at 8am tomorrow.

His brother, Retief, 47, who was convicted on the lesser count of uttering (unlawfully and intentionally passing off a false document), received a slap on the wrist and a stern warning.

Retief, a truck driver who has a previous conviction involving the possession of child pornography, had his sentencing postponed for five years.

This means if he commits another offence within the next five years, he will be brought back to court to be sentenced on this charge.

Marius van Zyl was found guilty of stealing more than R100 000 paid to the Nelson Mandela Bay Chess Union by the Boardwalk Casino and the Department of Sport and Recreation.

He served on the chess committee at the time.

The money – paid out between 2011 and 2012 – was meant to fund a national junior chess championship for underprivileged children in the city.

Van Zyl did not report to the union or the committees that the money had been received and instead transferred it into his credit card account.

In October 2012, when questions about the money were asked, Van Zyl claimed he had relinquished control of the union’s bank account to his brother, Retief.

The brothers then forged a credit card statement to back up their story.

Van Zyl repaid the money before being charged in the Port Elizabeth Commercial Crimes Court.

Yesterday, the court heard Van Zyl was remorseful about his actions.

But Claassen had some harsh words for Van Zyl, saying there was a difference between being remorseful for his actions and being sorry he was caught out.

Yesterday’s sentence has already been communicated to the Cape Law Society, which will start proceedings to strike him off the roll of attorneys.