A former FNB employee, accused of stealing more than R400 000 from an elderly client, took the stand in the Port Elizabeth Commercial Crimes Court on Monday
Leonie Stiemie who was a branch administrator at the FNB in Kirkwood at the time allegedly stole money from 82-year-old Andries David Renken in 2012.
Under cross-examination, Stiemie denied stealing Renken's money stating that employees at FNB had no knowledge of what was kept inside a deed box as a client would be alone in the room when storing their possessions.
Stiemie told the court how she now longer new how to access the deed boxes once the bank upgraded to a digital system.
According to Renker however, Stiemie is the one who had convinced him to keep his cash at the bank but Stiemie also denied this.
Questioned by State Prosecutor, Tjaart van Zyl on why she had made a private agreement with Renken to repay the amount, she said she was highly stressed and wanted to get him off her back.
Stiemie described Renken as a difficult client who wanted things done his way.
She testified on how she was prescribed sedatives by her doctor due to the stress she was under after being suspended from the Bank.
Renken claimed on court documents that Stiemie admitted to taking his funds and that she offered to repay him an amount of R500 per month, an offer he declined.
He said she told him that she had invested the amount on his behalf.
He further claimed that the accused then paid a total of R21 100 to him after he declined the initial monthly repayment offer
Stiemie admitted in court that she had made him a beneficiary of her life policies so he could cash in when it paid out.
The case continues.
