The Estcourt Regional Court has sentenced one Fungai Desire Makunde, 41, to 10 years imprisonment for 555 counts of fraud, on Tuesday, 23 February 2021.
Police spokesman, Captain Lloyd Ramovha, said that the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in Pietermaritzburg, arrested Makunde, in 2019, after his fraudulent activities at Champagne Castle Hotel spanning from December, 2014 to January, 2019 were uncovered.
At the time of the offenses, Makunde was said to be a bookkeeper at the Winterton-based hotel. He made fraudulent transactions of more than R12 million and diverted funds meant for hotel suppliers and creditors to his personal bank accounts.
The court found Fungai guilty as charged. He has been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for fraud of which three years is suspended for five years. He will effectively serve a seven years jail term.