A disgraced lawyer, barred from practising after she was convicted of theft, will find herself on the wrong side of the dock once again after she brazenly defied the courts to take on criminal matters, all the while allegedly posing as an attorney.
From rape cases to domestic violence and even conveyancing, Anna Johanna Swanepoel – or Anne Swanepoel as she is now known – is accused of pocketing thousands of rands as she allegedly continued to masquerade as a legal practitioner.
Her trial kicks off in the Port Elizabeth Commercial Crimes Court on Monday.
Swanepoel had been practising as an attorney in Nelson Mandela Bay when, on August 27 2015, the high court in Makhanda ordered that she be struck from the attorneys roll due to her theft conviction.
She applied for leave to appeal the order but later abandoned the application.
In a detailed charge sheet seen by The Herald, it is alleged she never received any written consent from the Law Society to continue practising.
Swanepoel, who has assisted in high-profile court matters such as that of Sizwezakhe Vumazonke – accused of murdering Jayde Panayiotou – faces charges which include fraud, contempt of court and contravening the Attorneys Act.
Despite the high court order, she allegedly continued to accept payment for services she was not allowed to offer, instructed advocates and other law firms to act on behalf of the clients, and then misappropriated the cash.
“She continued to practise as a practitioner, directly or indirectly, for her own account or in partnership or association with other persons,” the charge sheet reads.
In one matter, according to the prosecution, in October 2015, Swanepoel received instructions from Anchinaa Ntoto, the sister of a robbery suspect, to instruct well-known defence advocate Johan Wessels for the trial.
It is alleged that on October 27 and November 5 2015 she received R20,000 and R10,000 respectively from Ntoto.
She continued to correspond with Wessels regarding Bulelani Ntoto’s robbery trial and also corresponded with attorneys John Coetzee and Cyril Francis regarding the case.
In February 2016, she allegedly took instructions from another existing client, this time with regard to a rape trial.
She allegedly accepted R500 as payment and then once again instructed Coetzee and Francis for the trial.
Later in February, she allegedly charged R1,300 to assist in a child maintenance matter.
In June 2016, this time in respect of a civil claim against the health department, Swanepoel allegedly accepted R1,000 in respect of a consultation fee, as well as sheriff’s fees.
She pleaded not guilty to the charges and is represented by defence attorney Alwyn Griebenow.
Barred lawyer Anne Swanepoel back in court for taking on cases
Image: Deneesha Pillay
A disgraced lawyer, barred from practising after she was convicted of theft, will find herself on the wrong side of the dock once again after she brazenly defied the courts to take on criminal matters, all the while allegedly posing as an attorney.
From rape cases to domestic violence and even conveyancing, Anna Johanna Swanepoel – or Anne Swanepoel as she is now known – is accused of pocketing thousands of rands as she allegedly continued to masquerade as a legal practitioner.
Her trial kicks off in the Port Elizabeth Commercial Crimes Court on Monday.
Swanepoel had been practising as an attorney in Nelson Mandela Bay when, on August 27 2015, the high court in Makhanda ordered that she be struck from the attorneys roll due to her theft conviction.
She applied for leave to appeal the order but later abandoned the application.
In a detailed charge sheet seen by The Herald, it is alleged she never received any written consent from the Law Society to continue practising.
Swanepoel, who has assisted in high-profile court matters such as that of Sizwezakhe Vumazonke – accused of murdering Jayde Panayiotou – faces charges which include fraud, contempt of court and contravening the Attorneys Act.
Despite the high court order, she allegedly continued to accept payment for services she was not allowed to offer, instructed advocates and other law firms to act on behalf of the clients, and then misappropriated the cash.
“She continued to practise as a practitioner, directly or indirectly, for her own account or in partnership or association with other persons,” the charge sheet reads.
In one matter, according to the prosecution, in October 2015, Swanepoel received instructions from Anchinaa Ntoto, the sister of a robbery suspect, to instruct well-known defence advocate Johan Wessels for the trial.
It is alleged that on October 27 and November 5 2015 she received R20,000 and R10,000 respectively from Ntoto.
She continued to correspond with Wessels regarding Bulelani Ntoto’s robbery trial and also corresponded with attorneys John Coetzee and Cyril Francis regarding the case.
In February 2016, she allegedly took instructions from another existing client, this time with regard to a rape trial.
She allegedly accepted R500 as payment and then once again instructed Coetzee and Francis for the trial.
Later in February, she allegedly charged R1,300 to assist in a child maintenance matter.
In June 2016, this time in respect of a civil claim against the health department, Swanepoel allegedly accepted R1,000 in respect of a consultation fee, as well as sheriff’s fees.
She pleaded not guilty to the charges and is represented by defence attorney Alwyn Griebenow.
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