An Eastern Cape man who stole R14.4 million from a farming couple in Kirkwood is said to have been driven by a gambling addiction.
Harold Henry, 47, stole from his employers, Suenay and Digby White of the Strathmore Farm Trust, until they did not have a cent left in their bank account.
The couple who regarded Henry as family, hired him to do the farm's books.
During pre-sentence proceedings at the Gqeberha commercial crimes court on Monday, psychologist Iain Robert Reid detailed Henry's gambling disorder.
According to Reid, the disorder was the primary motivator behind Henry's actions.
He said Henry began frequenting the casino in 2009 and turned his attention to online gambling during the COVID-19 epidemic.
In 2013 he was banned from the casino for a year, all the while keeping his wife of 14 years in the dark about the true extent of his addiction.
"In 2020 he started to gamble online, without having to travel to the casino. He became consumed with gambling"
In his report, Reid mentioned that Henry immediately acknowledged his wrongdoing and pleaded guilty.
The Whites were unaware they were being swindled until an auditor queried various payments and requested a meeting on 8 December 2021.
On this day, Henry attempted to commit suicide by drinking pesticides.
He survived the ordeal and was booked into Life Hunterscraig Hospital instead.
State advocate Lise Keech asked the court to impose the minimum prescribed sentence of 15 years in prison.
She told the court that Henry devastated the complainants financially despite them treating him like family.
Keech questioned whether Henry had shown genuine remorse or if he was just sorry because he got caught.
"He never went for treatment, and he did not seek help.
"The only reason why he stopped gambling was because the pot that he stole from had dried up.
"True remorse is not regret. This case was rock solid. To plead guilty does not mean he is remorseful," Keech added.
Magistrate Lionel Lindoor postponed sentencing, stating he needed time to "apply his mind" to the facts presented before him first.
The state and the defence were of the opinion that a custodial sentence would be appropiate.
Henry, whose bail has been extended, will appear in court again on Wednesday.
