FNB Employee Found Guilty Of Stealing R800,000 From Elderly Client

A former First National Bank (FNB) employee, Leonie Stella Stiemie, 53, has been convicted of theft after unlawfully taking R800,000 from an 87-year-old client she frequently assisted at the FNB Kirkwood branch.

The Gqeberha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court found Stiemie guilty of two counts of theft on Tuesday. According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the theft occurred between 2011 and 2015, targeting funds entrusted to her by the victim, Kirkwood farmer Andries David Renken.

Betrayal of Trust

Renken, concerned about the safety of storing large sums of money at home, was persuaded by Stiemie to place R400,000 in the FNB Deeds Box. Despite standard procedures requiring clients to receive two keys and sign a custody agreement, Renken was neither given keys nor signed any documentation.

In 2014, Renken enquired about his money and was told by Stiemie that half had been invested on his behalf. By February 2015, when Renken learned that Stiemie no longer worked at the branch, she visited his home, claiming the funds had been stolen during a branch robbery. However, investigations confirmed no such robbery had occurred.

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Further scrutiny revealed that a deposit slip related to the theft was forged, with handwriting analysts verifying that the signature was Stiemie’s, not Renken’s.

Failed Repayment Attempt

Stiemie admitted to taking the money and offered to repay Renken in installments of R666 per month. Renken rejected the offer, citing “666” as the “devil’s number.” Over time, Stiemie only managed to repay R21,000 of the stolen amount.

During the trial, Stiemie denied her repayment arrangement, claiming she had been under heavy medication when she admitted guilt to Renken.

The trial faced significant delays, including three years spent procuring a handwriting specialist by the defence and the passing of the original prosecutor in 2021. Renken also died during the trial, adding to its complexities.

The court has adjourned sentencing to February 2025. Stiemie, released on R1,000 bail, must report to the Kirkwood SAPS twice a week and is barred from obtaining new travel documents.

The case has underscored the importance of vigilance in financial transactions and the need for strict oversight in handling clients’ funds.

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