Yacht club’s ex-bookkeeper in dock

A woman who worked at the Royal Cape Yacht Club for nine years is on trial for alleged fraud involving R1.2 million.

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Cape Town - A bookkeeper formerly in the employ of the Royal Cape Yacht Club, in Cape Town, for nine years, appeared in court on Monday, for alleged fraud, involving R1,2 million.

Berenice van Reenen, 43, of Heathfield in Cape Town’s southern suburbs, appeared in the Specialised Commercial Crime Court in Bellville, before magistrate Sabrina Sonnenberg.

She was not asked to plead, and the case was postponed to November 26, for her to consult with her lawyer.

According to the charge sheet, her duties included receiving and depositing money generated from the bar and restaurant, as well as membership fees and levies.

She had to similarly account for cheques received.

According to the charge sheet, she had access to the cash and cheques received in the normal course of business, and also had access to the RCYC’s Pastel accounting system.

Prosecutor Tracey Belelie alleges that she embarked on a scheme to unlawfully misappropriate monies, by deliberately failing to record all the cheques received in the receipt book, and then keep for herself the cash equivalent of the cheques not recorded.

This caused a shortfall in the amount banked, and to hide the discrepancy she allegedly reflected un-receipted cheques on the bank deposit slip.

The State alleges that she fraudulently created the impression that cash reflected on bank deposit slips was correct.

In this manner, Van Reenen caused a general deficiency amounting to R1 219 980, the prosecutor alleges.

African News Agency

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