The Estcourt Regional Court sentenced Fungai Desire Makunde (41) to ten years imprisonment for 555 counts of fraud on Tuesday, 23 February 2021.
The Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in Pietermaritzburg arrested Makunde in 2019 after his fraudulent activities at Champagne Castle Hotel spanning from December 2014 to January 2019 were uncovered.
At the time of the offenses, Makunde was a bookkeeper at the Winterton based hotel. He made fraudulent transactions of more than R12 million and diverted funds meant for hotel suppliers and creditors to his personal bank accounts.
The court found Fungai guilty as charged. He has been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for fraud of which three years is suspended for five years.
He will effectively serve a seven years jail term.
