Attorney sentenced for defrauding clients of over R 3million
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A case against a 66 years old attorney has been postponed to October 30th following a short court appearance and bail of R 15 000.
Barend Philippus Botha appeared at Klerksdorp Magistrates Court on Monday on charges of theft.
It is alleged that he defrauded his supposed clients of money amounting to a little over R 3million of estate money.
“Botha was a practising attorney and sole director of a law firm when he defrauded the victims between 2018 and 2019. Reports suggest that, monies from three deceased estates and various home purchase transactions, were paid into the firm’s trust account.”
“However, the victims never received their dues from the firm. Following investigations by the Provincial Commercial Crime Investigation Unit in 2019, the accused was ultimately arrested on Monday, 11 September 2023” said Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone.
As a result of his alleged actions, he was struck off the roll as a practicing attorney by the South Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, after he allegedly failed to account for the victims’ monies.