By Staff Reporter
QWAQWA — A former bookkeeper who defrauded his employer of nearly R585,000 has received a wholly suspended 10-year prison sentence from the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court.
Jacques Wilhelem Grobler was convicted of fraud committed between February 2019 and October 2020. The court suspended the sentence for five years on condition that he is not convicted of fraud or theft during the suspension period.
Grobler was ordered to repay R235,354.81 immediately, with the remaining R235,355.80 to be settled in monthly instalments from 1 February 2026.
The conviction followed his arrest by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit on 13 August 2025.
Investigations revealed that Grobler, employed as a bookkeeper at Nova Refrigeration and Nova Catering, unlawfully transferred company funds into his personal bank account, causing a total loss of R584,902.
Grobler pleaded guilty and appeared in court several times before sentencing. Charges against Cornelia Elizabeth Grobler were withdrawn.
Free State Hawks Provincial Head, Major General Mokgadi Bokaba, praised the investigating officer for a “sterling job.”
