Luca Reggio and Michela Moroni are expected in the Bellville Commercial Crimes Court on July 24
Image: FILE
An Italian couple who allegedly helped themselves to R10.7 million from a stationery company have lost their bid to obtain more details about the case against them.
Luca Reggio and Michela Moroni worked for the company in SA when the alleged theft took place.
They lost the case in the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA).
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the couple faced nine charges between them.
These included four counts of fraud, four counts of money laundering and one count of contravening the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
"This application constitutes the fourth attempt by the accused to delay the matter, rather than proceed to trial," Ntabazalila said.
The court found that the couple had failed to show that refusing to reconsider the matter would result in a grave failure of justice or bring the administration of justice into disrepute.
"Repeated applications, including ongoing requests for further particulars, have significantly prolonged the case since it was first set down in 2020," Ntabazalila said.
The charges relate to alleged conduct between February 2014 and April 2019.
During that time, Reggio was the managing director of F.I.L.A SA, the sole importer and distributor of F.I.L.A Group products in SA.
The Italy-based group supplied stationery, "Back to School" products and fine art supplies.
As managing director, Reggio had fiduciary duties, including acting in good faith, avoiding conflicts of interest and acting in the company's best interests.
Ntabazalila said Reggio was paid directors' fees of about R6.8 million between 2014 and 2019 and had access to the company's banking systems.
"It is alleged that, over this period, he unlawfully transferred approximately R4.7 million into his personal bank account in Italy without the approval of the F.I.L.A SA Board of Directors or the F.I.L.A Group, to which he was not entitled," Ntabazalila said.
The state alleged that between 2018 and 2019, Reggio transferred more than R511,000 into Moroni's bank account, where it was allegedly intermingled with legitimate funds to conceal its origin.
The payments were not supported by invoices, and Moroni allegedly never worked for or rendered services to F.I.L.A SA.
Between 2015 and 2018, Reggio allegedly transferred about R2.3 million from F.I.L.A SA to an Italian-registered company, Tesi U.R.L., in which he was a shareholder and director.
The company allegedly rendered no services to F.I.L.A SA, and fictitious invoices were created to disguise the payments.
The state also alleged that between 2015 and 2019, Reggio submitted fraudulent travel and marketing expense claims, supported by fictitious documentation, resulting in payments of about R3.5 million being transferred to his bank account in Italy.
F.I.L.A SA is said to have suffered a total loss of about R10.7 million.
The couple are expected to appear in the Bellville Commercial Crimes Court on 24 July for a trial date to be set.
IOL