Maria Coetzee will admit guilt on 13 counts of fraud related to N$3.4 million embezzlement from Windhoek International School. Accused of transferring N$2.8 million to her accounts, she will deny guilt on five counts and the money laundering charge. Her trial starts on 12 May.
A woman named Maria Coetzee, extradited from South Africa to Namibia, is set to admit guilt on 13 fraud charges related to defrauding Windhoek International School of approximately N$3.4 million. Coetzee’s legal team filed a pretrial document in the Windhoek High Court indicating her intent to plead guilty when her trial commences on 12 May.
Coetzee is facing 18 fraud-related charges, including one count of money laundering. Allegations state she misappropriated funds from the school between March and October 2018 while employed as a financial manager, successfully transferring N$2.8 million to her accounts, while attempting to transfer about N$3.38 million in total.
Her defense attorney, Janita von Wielligh, noted that Coetzee will admit guilt on charges concerning eight successful money transfers totaling roughly N$1.9 million and five declined transfers of about N$77,300, while she will contest five of the charges and the money laundering charge.
Coetzee explained that a gambling addiction contributed to her fraudulent actions. When she failed to appear for a pretrial hearing in May 2020, it was reported that she fled to South Africa, where she was later arrested and extradited back to Namibia. Since her return on 29 August last year, she has remained in custody awaiting trial.
Maria Coetzee, a former financial manager at Windhoek International School, is accused of executing fraudulent transactions over several months in 2018. This case highlights significant issues regarding financial misconduct in educational institutions and the legal implications of such actions. The extradition process from South Africa to Namibia also underscores the complexities involved in cross-border legal matters related to fraud.
Maria Coetzee is poised to admit guilt on several fraud charges linked to substantial embezzlement from Windhoek International School. Her case illustrates serious financial misconduct and raises questions about the oversight of school finances. The upcoming trial is set to commence on 12 May, as Coetzee prepares her defense for the remaining charges.
Original Source: www.namibian.com.na
