14 February 2007
On 13 February 2007, the Asset Forfeiture Unit seized assets worth about
R1,9 million from a Pretoria couple, Marthina Johanna Theron, her husband,
Michiel Theron and their three children and the Theron Trust. This follows an
intensive investigation conducted by the South African Police Service(SAPS)
Commercial Branch which led to the arrest of the said couple in February
2006.
Assets placed under restraint include all the bank accounts of the Therons
and of their three children, moveable property, one luxury BMW vehicle and four
fixed properties. Marthina Theron and her husband stand accused of fraud,
forgery and uttering of forged documents in the Specialised Commercial Crimes
Court in Pretoria.
Mrs Theron worked as an accountant for the Iemas Co-Operative Ltd Scheme.
Her responsibilities were to ensure that payments deposited by Iemas members
into the Iemas bank account were credited to the correct Iemas members'
accounts. She allegedly credited the money to her own Iemas account, and that
of her husband with payments received from other Iemas members. Deposits made
by members into the Iemas bank account without reference numbers, were manually
changed by Theron and credited as payments to her own account and that of her
husband. Mrs Theron is also alleged to have requested refunds from Iemas,
purporting that the refunds were destined for members who had overpaid or made
payments in error. She submitted claims for refunds on behalf of other members,
using her own bank account details and those of her husband and children.
Mrs Theron paid bail of R50 000 00 and Mr Theron, R30 000 00. They will
appear in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court again on 1 March 2007.
Enquiries:
Phuti Setati
Communication and Liaison Services
South African Police Service
Head office
Tel: (012) 393 5491
Cell: 082 778 4312
E-mail: mediarelations@saps.org.za
Issued by: South African Police Service
14 February 2007
