A former law firm trust accountant, Liezel Badenhorst, has been sentenced to an effective 15 years in prison for embezzling nearly R18 million from client accounts. The 44-year-old was convicted in September 2024 at the Gqeberha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on charges of theft. She was sentenced this week after a lengthy investigation revealed that she had misappropriated the funds between February 2018 and March 2023.
Badenhorst was employed as a trust accountant by DuToit Attorneys in Gqeberha from 2008 until her resignation in March 2024. In her fiduciary role, she was responsible for managing the firm’s client trust accounts, which required her to safeguard client funds and ensure they were used solely for their intended legal purposes. However, instead of protecting the funds, Badenhorst exploited her position by using an internal banking system to transfer money from the trust accounts into her personal bank accounts.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Badenhorst used unauthorised credentials to access the firm’s banking system, where she fraudulently altered banking details to divert funds for her personal use. Over the course of several years, she siphoned off a total of R17,923,584.68.
The fraud was discovered during a comprehensive investigation into discrepancies in the firm’s accounting records. Evidence showed that Badenhorst had falsified entries in the General Trust (GT) accounting system, diverting funds intended for clients and causing significant financial harm to both DuToit Attorneys and its clients. Upon the discovery of the fraud, Badenhorst voluntarily resigned from her position on March 17, 2024, and later admitted to the charges.
In court, she explained that a severe gambling addiction was the driving force behind her actions, admitting to using the stolen funds to feed her gambling habit at the Boardwalk Casino and Galaxy Bingo in Moffat-on-Main.
Badenhorst was arrested on July 24, 2024, by the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (the Hawks). She was released on bail of R10,000 on the same day, but her crimes were soon brought to light through a thorough investigation. The NPA described her actions as a deliberate manipulation of the financial system, undermining the integrity of both the legal and financial sectors.
In the sentencing, Senior State Advocate Danisile Mkwanazi emphasized the gravity of her actions, noting that financial crimes, particularly those involving breaches of fiduciary duty and the exploitation of client trust funds, are taken very seriously. The NPA welcomed the sentence, stating that it reflects the commitment of the justice system to combat financial crime and hold individuals accountable for their actions.
