Convinced that a chartered accountant, accused of stealing more than R52m from at least two supermarkets in Nelson Mandela Bay, likely stashed some of the money abroad, the state has opposed his high court bid to overturn a magistrate’s decision not to grant him bail.
Judgment in the matter was reserved in the Gqeberha high court on Thursday following arguments by the state and the defence.
Jonathan Blow has been in custody since his March 17 arrest on two counts of theft.
In his bail application Blow admitted to stealing more than R11m from the Despatch SuperSPAR and more than R40m from the Sunridge SuperSPAR while he was employed by the franchise owners as their accountant.
According to the state, between September 11 2020 and March 10 2022, in addition to the fees for which he had invoiced Despatch SuperSPAR, Blow allegedly made 105 unlawful transactions amounting to R11,478.350 from the store’s trading accounts to his own business bank account.
It is further alleged that between July 2020 and September, Blow siphoned off more than R40m from the Sunridge SuperSPAR.
At the time of his bail application a report by clinical psychologist Dr Ian Meyer was submitted to court by his then lawyer, advocate Hannelie Bakker, which stated that Blow had a gambling addiction and had spent a large some of money to feed it.
During earlier bail proceedings it emerged that Blow was still working for the Acres SPAR and the Rink Street Pharmacy, offering them Sars related services.
On Thursday, Blow’s newly-appointed lawyer, advocate Louiza Roux, argued that the lower court had erred in finding that he might evade his trial, conceal or destroy evidence, or that he was likely to steal again.
Roux said the mere fact that Blow had a UK ancestral visa issued prior to his arrest did not mean he planned to leave SA to evade his trial.
“[Blow’s] means of travel and travel documents have been handed over to authorities [and] he has no intent or desire to reapply for a visa [which expires on June 11],” Roux said.
According to Roux, the assumption that Blow would continue stealing was “completely speculative”.
Roux also countered the state’s claim that Blow had “stashed” a large sum of money in an offshore bank account, claiming there was no such evidence.
State advocate Lise Keech, meanwhile, argued that Blow had not played open cards with authorities and that he might have planned on leaving the country before his arrest.
“The investigating officer received a tip-off that [Blow] was going to abscond as he had two theft dockets against him.
“[Blow] was preparing to leave. He knew he had two cases against him and he didn’t tell anyone.
“The information was passed on to the Hawks and he was arrested,” Keech said.
According to Keech, Blow stopped working in September before the family went on a trip to Portugal.
“Up to today there is a possibility that [Blow] stashed the money somewhere.
“He has not indicated what he did with the money,” Keech said.
Keech asked the court to reconfirm the earlier decision not to grant Blow bail.
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