A court clerk from the Atlantis was sentenced in the Atlantis Regional Court on eight counts of fraud.
Olivia Adonis, was employed as the clerk of the Atlantis Magistrate’s Court and was the main cashirt between May 6, 2009 and April 15, 2019.
Her responsibilities included depositing and withdrawing cash, viewing the court’s online bank statement to enable her to prepare monthly bank reconciliation statements using the JDAS System, and receipt and accounting of monies received by the State and other institutions. She also managed third-party funds, safekeeping of all cash in transit slips including bank deposit slips received from the bank, management of safe money and key, and receipt and allocation of float to the office cashier.
Adonis also had the authority to access and perform the department’s online platform with the JDAS System.
The JDAS system is a financial and case management system that administers all monies in trust within the magistrate courts.
JDAS system is used for receipt and payment of money on behalf of third parties in respect of bail, maintenance, court payments, fines, and compensation fines.
The Western Cape spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Eric Ntabazalila said the State proved that between April 2018 and April 2019, Adonis misappropriated money under her control by completing bank deposit slips but not making cash deposits into the court’s account.
“She manipulated or forged monthly bank reconciliation statements by inflating and misstating the closing bank balances to conceal her misappropriation of monies. She also manipulated or forged the cash-book entries by reducing the balances to be in balance with the incorrect bank account closing balances.
“She manipulated the financial accounting system of her office by issuing various cheques to creditors but did not forward them and/or destroy them as she had insufficient funds for payment in the court’s account. These activities led to her not banking over R648,000 in the court’s bank account,” Ntabazalila said.
He said the Department of Justice’s regional office uncovered the incorrect monthly bank statement that did not correspond with the court’s actual bank balance.
“When these were uncovered Adonis booked off sick and subsequently resigned. The court convicted her on eight counts of fraud and sentenced her to eight years imprisonment suspended for five years on condition that she is not convicted of theft, fraud, or any attempt thereto during the period of suspension. She was further sentenced in terms of Section 276(1)(h) to 36 months of Correctional Supervision and placed under house arrest for the full duration of the term of correctional supervision,” Ntabazalila said.
The court further ordered that the R174,000 of Adonis held with the Government Employment Pension Fund (GEPF) be transferred to her employer’s account.
The court also ordered Adonis to pay the remaining amount of R473,410 at a rate of R10,000 per month with the first payment on or before August 15, 2024, and thereafter, on or before the 15th day of each succeeding month. All payments are to be made to the clerk of the Malmesbury Magistrates Court.
Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Nicolette Bell welcomed the sentence and said corrupt officials know that impunity is no longer a given and that the NPA is finding its feet again.