A former Montecasino employee and a fellow accused appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for stealing R1.3-million from the casino last year.
The employee‚ aged 32‚ who cannot be named as he has not yet pleaded‚ is accused of transferring R1.3-million that had been in safekeeping for the casino’s clients.
His co-accused‚ Fauad Hamad‚ 35‚ pleaded guilty on Wednesday and was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment‚ suspended for five years on condition he is not found guilty of fraud during the period of suspension and that he pays the casino R120 000 in monthly instalments of R5 000 from May 7.
In his plea explanation‚ which was read to the court‚ Hamad‚ who is based in Durban‚ said he met the former Montecasino employee at a family gathering last year in Durban.
At the time‚ the man had been courting his wife’s sister‚ Hamad said.
“[He] noticed me removing money from my wife’s handbag… At the time I was unemployed and penniless… the family and [the man] bragged about how wonderful the job [he] had at the casino was.”
Hamad said the man asked him if he was interested in a job. When Hamad told him he was interested‚ he was asked for his banking details‚ Hamad said.
“A day or two later I received R10 000 in my account… He stated that this was an advance for the job he needed me to do for him. He further purchased a bus ticket for me to travel to Johannesburg‚” Hamad said.
When he arrived in Johannesburg‚ Hamad said the employee gave him instructions: he was to open a safekeeping account at the casino.
“I used my driver’s licence to register‚ as instructed‚ and was given a patron number. I was informed by [the employee] that an amount of R130 000 would be deposited into the account. I did not know how he was going to deposit the money as I had no knowledge as to how the casino operates.
“I have since established from the police docket that he unlawfully transferred the money from other patrons’ accounts‚” Hamad said.
When he later received the balance of the R1.3-million in the safekeeping account‚ Hamad said he met the casino employee and gave it to him at an arranged place.
“He paid me R150 000. I used the money to buy a motor vehicle for R60 000 and spent R10 000.
“A few days later [the employee] contacted me and said he had been caught. I then returned the motor vehicle and the balance of R80 000 to (the employee).”
The former Montecasino employee is due back in court on May 8 to plead.
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