Accountant admits stealing N$5.8m
A South African-born accountant has admitted guilt on fraud charges involving over N$5 million.
A former accountant at two building supplies dealers has confessed that he stole N$5.8 million from his employer, which he mostly spent on a mansion in Windhoek's Olympia suburb.
A tearful Peter Tyran Kohler, 46, admitted to fraud charges involving N$5.8 million yesterday during cross-examination.
The South African citizen further informed the court that the stolen money was mostly used on his house.
Kohler worked as store accountant at both the Pennypinchers Timbercity branches in Windhoek and Ongwediva respectively about six years ago when the crime was allegedly committed.
He admitted to 218 counts of fraud, alternatively theft, involving an amount of about N$5.8 million.
A portion of the money was spent on his mother's house, her medical expenses and living costs, Kohler explained before Judge Christie Liebenberg yesterday.
The judge has postponed the case to 7 March for sentencing. State prosecutor Ingrid Husselman, during the cross-examination of the accused, conceded that Kohler showed remorse but stressed that he did not cooperate with the complainant as he did not show them how he actually committed the offence.
She said Kohler did not sacrifice anything to compensate the complainant for the loss except his pension.
His house has since been seized by his former employer, according to Husselman.
According to the state, society expects the accused to be severely punished for the offence and that such punishment would bring respect to the country's judicial system.
“The accused used the stolen money to sustain a luxurious lifestyle over five years.
He had over this period the opportunity to stop indulging himself in the criminal activity but did not do so,” Husselman argued. Liebenberg at this stage remarked that the fact the accused pleaded guilty to the charges means much.
“He took the court into his confidence and should be in some way credited for that.
This will not distract the court from the seriousness of the offence but normally impacts on the period of sentence,” he observed.
Husselman further conceded that it will not be far-fetched for the court to suspend part of the sentence. Meze Tjituri, the defence lawyer on behalf of Kohler, pleaded for a partly suspended sentence.
“Prison sentence not exceeding six years will meet the requirements of the administration of justice,” he argued.
He claimed that his client appropriated N$50 000 over a period of five years from 2009 to 2014.
Liebenberg said that there is currently a civil claim instituted against the accused alongside the criminal proceeding.
“There is however a dispute over the amount,” he said.
However, he added that there is nothing before the court that the accused is in a position to pay back the N$5.8 million in the immediate or near future.
FRED GOEIEMAN
A tearful Peter Tyran Kohler, 46, admitted to fraud charges involving N$5.8 million yesterday during cross-examination.
The South African citizen further informed the court that the stolen money was mostly used on his house.
Kohler worked as store accountant at both the Pennypinchers Timbercity branches in Windhoek and Ongwediva respectively about six years ago when the crime was allegedly committed.
He admitted to 218 counts of fraud, alternatively theft, involving an amount of about N$5.8 million.
A portion of the money was spent on his mother's house, her medical expenses and living costs, Kohler explained before Judge Christie Liebenberg yesterday.
The judge has postponed the case to 7 March for sentencing. State prosecutor Ingrid Husselman, during the cross-examination of the accused, conceded that Kohler showed remorse but stressed that he did not cooperate with the complainant as he did not show them how he actually committed the offence.
She said Kohler did not sacrifice anything to compensate the complainant for the loss except his pension.
His house has since been seized by his former employer, according to Husselman.
According to the state, society expects the accused to be severely punished for the offence and that such punishment would bring respect to the country's judicial system.
“The accused used the stolen money to sustain a luxurious lifestyle over five years.
He had over this period the opportunity to stop indulging himself in the criminal activity but did not do so,” Husselman argued. Liebenberg at this stage remarked that the fact the accused pleaded guilty to the charges means much.
“He took the court into his confidence and should be in some way credited for that.
This will not distract the court from the seriousness of the offence but normally impacts on the period of sentence,” he observed.
Husselman further conceded that it will not be far-fetched for the court to suspend part of the sentence. Meze Tjituri, the defence lawyer on behalf of Kohler, pleaded for a partly suspended sentence.
“Prison sentence not exceeding six years will meet the requirements of the administration of justice,” he argued.
He claimed that his client appropriated N$50 000 over a period of five years from 2009 to 2014.
Liebenberg said that there is currently a civil claim instituted against the accused alongside the criminal proceeding.
“There is however a dispute over the amount,” he said.
However, he added that there is nothing before the court that the accused is in a position to pay back the N$5.8 million in the immediate or near future.
FRED GOEIEMAN
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article