A young woman was supposed to be sentenced today for stealing R1.3-million from the legal firm she worked for.
Nicole Romy de Villiers was arrested a year ago along with her husband and father-in-law, and the three were accused of being part of an organised crime family. It was a strange situation in that it looked like the woman - the youngest - was the kingpin running the show.
But since then the State realised that the father-in-law and distraught husband had absolutely nothing to do with it and they have been released. In fact they were asked to come back to court today to testify that they are good people who will happily take the little four-year-old daughter and two-year-old son back into their home when Nicole gets sent to prison. At least that's what they are hoping for.
Yes - she has pleaded guilty admitted to having taken the money. But she's still trying to shift the blame by saying that her husband and father-in-law actually made her do it.
And it seems that she has got a whole lot of people believing her story. The parole officer from social services asked for correctional supervision and house arrest as the punishment. The social worker - a sweet, older lady who seemed to be testifying for the first time ever and kept referring to Nicole as "the defendant" instead of "the accused" - was adamant that no young mother should ever be sent to prison. In fact she kept saying that Nicole had not benefited at all from her crimes apart from maybe having an elevated lifestyle. Well helloooooo - what is one supposed to do with a whole bunch of money?
Then the Rabbi testified to say that Nicole was remorseful for sure, and in fact he thought she was put up to the whole theft thing.
I am wondering if these people who are so keen to keep her out of the slammer have done her more harm than good. Because if the State can prove that she acted alone, then she has quite plainly hoodwinked everyone near and dear to her - including her therapist - and there is no doubt that she is still lying and shifting the blame.
Ah well - a postponement means we will have to wait almost two months to find out....
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