Staff Reporter
CHARLENE Trédoux, a 48-year-old former accountant who is charged with theft from her employer and fraud after illegally transferring over N$ 1 million from her former employer, Absolut Tours and Safaris, today appeared in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court and was granted bail of N$ 15,000.
Trédoux, who appeared before Magistrate Surita Savage, is alleged to have transferred large amounts between 29 February 2024 and 9 October 2024, at an unspecified time, from Absolut Tours and Safaris, located in Northern Industrial Area.
According to a police statement made by her former employer, Beckert Jochen, it is alleged that since the employment of Trédoux, the accounting department had evident information from the business cheque account with FNB that there were numerous electronic fund transfers made by Trédoux, who had access to the business account at the time of her employment as head of the Accounts Department in the business.
“She was responsible for loading and releasing payments to one-off suppliers, creditors, staff, etc. But the company suppliers informed us that they never received the funds from these electronic fund transfers processed by Charlene Trédoux. The electronic fund transfers were made to the account of Ngatha Brokers cc, Bank Windhoek account, and contact details linked to one Johann Trédoux, who is the husband of Charlene Trédoux,” the police statement read.
It is alleged that a list of transactions made to the Bank Windhoek account in question dates back to 29 February 2024, and the total amount is N$ 1,046,069.51, which was transferred from the business account without the business owner’s consent.
The business owner stated that the accused, Trédoux, was retrenched with immediate effect on 18 October 2024. She had been employed since 1 June 2022.
“Charlene Trédoux was retrenched due to the restructuring of my company, and during this process, my new accountant informed me about the fraudulent activities that happened between 29 February and 9 October 2024,” Jochen concluded.
