The 44-year-old Giselle Maritz stands accused of manipulating financial records and transferring the money from the trust account, overseen by Phatshoane Henney, into her and her mother’s personal bank accounts between 2015 and 2019.

A spokesperson for the Hawks in the Free State, Christopher Singo, says the law firm in question noted something was amiss in early 2020 and reported the matter to the Hawks. Singo says Maritz handed herself over to authorities on Wednesday morning whereupon she was charged with fraud and money laundering. Shortly thereafter she appeared before the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court and was released on R10 000 bail. The case is postponed to 1 December to allow Maritz to obtain legal representation.

A quick scan of Maritz’s LinkedIn page indicates she was a candidate attorney at the aforementioned firm and is now an estate administrator at a reputable wealth and investment management company, headquartered in Johannesburg.

OFM News