Human Resources Manager defrauds her employer of over R 5.2million in 12 years

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The Bloemfontein Commercial Crime Court has found former Strado Remanufactures Human Resources manager guilty of fraud and money laundering charges.

The 46 years old Adele Senekal had been swindling money out of her employers account on false pretenses for 12 years, 2010 to January 2022.

The Court heard how Senekal first started at the company as Human Resources Officer responsible for paying suppliers and creditors, as well as to allocate money to the suppliers or creditors of Strado.

Because of the system that was used by the company, it was easy for Senekal to add any account of her choice on to the system for payment. As a result, it became easy for to rather her account number for payment instead of the rightfully deserving recipients and/or creditors.

This is according to NPA Spokesperson Phaladi Shuping who also said that Senekal gave an impression to her employers that the rightful creditors received what was due to them having seen money going out of the account to another.

“She put in her own bank account numbers as beneficiaries account numbers and this gave an impression, on the bank statements of Strado, that creditors were paid, whereas the money went into her bank accounts. She, illegally and with an intention to defraud, pretended to Strado Remanufacturers, by way of manipulating bank statements, that the amounts must be paid over to creditors” said Shuping.

Senekal told the Court that her fraudulent activities started with just R 500 weekly and she later on increased the amount. She would withdraw the money not long after transferring it into her account to spend it.

As a result of her actions, the company lost over R 5.2million.

She pleaded guilty to 812 counts of fraud and one count of money laundering.

Presiding over the matter Magistrate Nenkosi took all 812 counts of fraud together for purposes of sentencing and handed her a sentence of 12 years, of which four years were suspended for a period of five years on condition that she is not found guilty of fraud, theft or the attempt thereof.

Senekal was also slapped with a sentence of eight years for money laundering, of which five years were suspended for a period of five years. She will effectively serve eight years in prison as the sentences will run concurrently.