COUPLE APPEAR IN COURT FOR FRAUD AFTER ROBBERY OF STOKVEL MONEY
Married couple Pieter-John De Villiers van Wyk (46) and Catharina van Wyk (44) have appeared in the District Court in Upington on several charges, including fraud, defeating the ends of justice, and money laundering.
The husband and wife were arrested on 29 November 2024, nearly a year after they had initially been complainants in a housebreaking and theft case. The charges stem from an incident in December 2022, when the couple founded a stokvel named Club 2023, with the wife recruiting members. To join the stokvel, new members were required to deposit R1,000, securing their membership and contributing to the club for one year. At the end of 2023, the accumulated savings were to be distributed among the members.
On 14 December 2023, a day before the savings were to be shared, the accused withdrew R162,000 from the bank, which they kept in their safe at home. The following day, they claimed to have been robbed during a housebreaking. They incorrectly implicated a suspected neighbour as one of the thieves.
A case was opened with the police, and during the investigation, the accused (initially complainants) submitted a list of stolen items. However, the list they provided to the police differed materially from the list they submitted to the insurance company, which later paid them for their “loss.” Additionally, the amounts they claimed as stolen and withdrawn from the bank were found to be false and fabricated. As a result, the couple was charged with fraud, defeating the administration of justice, and money laundering.
The accused were granted bail of R2,000 each, subject to certain conditions. The matter has been postponed for further investigation until 28 January 2025.
