Former financial manager of the Windhoek International School, Maria Coetzee (53), has been sentenced to an effective seven years in prison after being convicted on 18 counts of fraud and one count of money laundering.
The sentence was handed down on Monday in the Windhoek High Court by Acting Judge Makapa Simasiku, who found Coetzee guilty two weeks ago of embezzling school funds in 2018.
According to court findings, Coetzee abused her position of trust by transferring N$2.8 million from the school’s bank account into her personal accounts. She also attempted to transfer an additional N$567,500, but the transaction was unsuccessful.
During the trial, Coetzee admitted that she spent most of the stolen money to fuel a gambling addiction, which she said spiralled out of control during her time as financial manager.
In delivering the sentence, Acting Judge Simasiku noted the seriousness of Coetzee’s actions, saying they represented a grave breach of trust and had tarnished the reputation of a respected educational institution.
The court further emphasised that such crimes undermine public confidence in financial governance and warranted a custodial sentence to serve as both punishment and deterrent.
The case was prosecuted by the Office of the Prosecutor-General, while Coetzee was represented by private counsel.
