A former Western Cape attorney and conveyancer has been sentenced to 55 years in prison for fraud, money laundering and theft charges.
Also read: A new police station will be built in Belhar
The 57-year-old Rugaya van der Schyff was found guilty by the Bellville Serious Commercial Crimes Court on Thursday, Times Live reports. She was arrested for the first time in 2019 by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team for misappropriating trust funds to the value of R4.8 million and was released on R20 000 bail.
Zinzi Hani, Western Cape NPA spokesperson, confirmed that Van der Schyff was arrested for a second time on 20 October 2022, on fraud and theft charges totalling R500 000.
‘In 2017 the accused was struck off the roll of attorneys by the Western Cape High Court after an interdict application which was lodged in 2016,’ Hani said.
Despite this, the Hawk’s investigation found that Van der Schyff continued to facilitate offers to purchase several properties from 2019 to date.
‘The misappropriation was done in her professional capacity as an additional duty of care and diligence in dealing with the transfer of properties and the Registrar of Deeds,’ said Hani.
‘Van der Schyff was sentenced to a combined 10 years’ imprisonment for two counts of money laundering, four years for contravening the Legal Practice Act, another 10 years for nine counts of fraud and a further 18 years for four additional counts of fraud, suspended for five years with conditions. On 30 counts of theft, the former attorney was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment, while an additional three years’ imprisonment was suspended for five years on an additional count of theft.’
Van der Schyff was convicted on 48 charges in total, and the court ordered the sentences to be served concurrently, which means that she will serve 10 years of direct imprisonment.
Also read:
WC High Court creates a dedicated victim support room for witnesses
Picture: Unsplash