Staff Reporter
AMANDA Jantjies, a 58-year-old woman who defrauded a transport service company, Ekonolux, of about N$9.9 million, today broke down in tears before High Court Judge Eileen Rakow, recounting how a guilty conscience led her to confess her ill deeds.
Jantjies, alongside her husband, Barnard Jantjies (60), pleaded guilty to charges levelled against them in relation to a N$9.9 million fraud case in the High Court. On 4 June 2026, Amanda provided her testimony to present mitigating factors before her sentencing.
The State alleges that during the period from January 2014 to November 2018, Amanda, who had been employed as a bookkeeper at Ekonolux, paid money from a bank account of Ekonolux into her own bank account and into an account of Bareli Building Services, a business owned by her husband, who is also listed as a third accused in the matter. A total of N$3.4 million was paid from a bank account of Ekonolux to an account of Bareli Building Services CC.
REMORSEFUL: Amanda Jantjies, 58, implored High Court Judge Eileen Rakow to have mercy on her during sentencing.
It is further alleged that some of the payments were also made from the account of Ekonolux to settle her and her husband’s personal expenses.
In her testimony, Jantjies said that she had started working for the transport service company in 1996 as a clerk, which handled the selling of tickets as well as attendance registers.
After several years, Amanda said she had climbed up the ranks and had eventually been allowed to handle the finances of the company when it moved to Windhoek. The fraud and theft committed by the couple started on a small scale, with a total amount of N$19,389 misappropriated from Ekonolux in January 2014; however, after a period of four years, the amount grew to N$9.9 million.
“In November 2018, I couldn’t handle it anymore. I went to Mr De Klerk and asked him personally. I went into his office and I told him that I wronged him. I told him everything I had done. He was very disappointed in me. I went on my knees and asked for forgiveness,” Amanda said.
She added that her boss had informed her that he would initiate a full investigation into the alleged theft.
“I told him that if given a chance, then I would correct what I did wrong. He granted me a chance. He did not fire me immediately or lock me up. He had enough reason to lay a charge against me, but he didn’t do so,” Amanda said in between sobs.
She added that, however, in January 2019, her employer had informed her that she was being dismissed.
“He said he would make contact with me on what would happen next. They conducted me because I had to come for a polygraph test. But they did not do the polygraph test as I played open cards with the person who had to do the polygraph test,” Amanda said.
She added that in February 2019, she had signed an acknowledgement of debt letter and had agreed to pay N$80,000 per month. She had also signed over movable property, which included furniture, a car and a trailer, and had also opted to give up a total of 150 leave days.
She added that the property she had given up is valued at N$440,000 and that she and her husband had been arrested in October 2019 and had not been able to honour the N$80,000 per month payment arrangement thereafter.
“Firstly I would like to apologise to Mr De Klerk, in his absence, to my colleagues at the time. I want to ask all of them for forgiveness and the community in which I grew up, the ones that knew me. Please forgive me,” Amanda implored, asking the court to have mercy on her.
She, however, added that she would not be able to pay a fine if she were given one, and further said she used some of the funds for gambling as well.
