EASTERN CAPE – The Gqeberha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court handed over a 15 year direct imprisonment sentence to Linda Labuschagne (44) for numerous charges of fraud on 06 September 2022.

Between 2017 and 2020, Labuschagne was employed as a bookkeeper at the BVSA Tax Consultancy Firm and DP Wealth Tax Consultancy respectively where she misappropriated funds to the value of more than R2.4 million. From BVSA, she misappropriated more than R1.7 million and more than R680 000-00 from DP Wealth.

Labuschagne orchestrated the transactions by providing clients from both companies with bank accounts purporting to be those of SARS whereas they were her personal bank details.

The Tax Consultancy firms received complaints from their clients for unpaid tax returns and they decided to lodge complaints with the Gqeberha based Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation which led to her subsequent arrest on 20 July 2021.

Labuschagne made a short appearance at the Gqeberha New Law Court on the very same day and was released on R10 000-00 bail with conditions to cease her fraudulent conduct. She was convicted on 20 April 2022.

She did not adhere to the bail conditions by continuing with other fraudulent tendencies that resulted in her re-arrest by the Commercial Branch Mount Road Task Team on 19 August 2022. The new matter was remanded to 26 September 2022 for trial processes.

The 15-years sentence left the Provincial Head, Major General Obed Ngwenya proud of the team for utilising their investigation skills optimally by bringing all the evidence to court about the solemnity of the fraudulent conducts of Labuschagne as it will be a deterrent to the other would-be perpetrators.

Source: South African Police Service