WELKOM – A Welkom lawyer already serving three life sentences and 61 years handed down to him for sexual offences against minors in 2025, is facing fraud charges involving R15 million.
Jan Gysbert Maritz (57) was arrested on
9 October 2025 on charges relating to fraud, theft, money laundering and contraventions of the Legal Practice Act.
The case was to have been heard in the Commercial Crime Court in Welkom on Monday 21 September and Tuesday. The case could, however, not proceed as the prosecutor checked in ill and the second floor of the Welkom Court building flooded due to a burst pipe.
The case has now been postponed to 10 and 11 February 2027 for trial.
Fraud case postponed to 2027
According to a statement from the Directorate for Priority Crimes (Hawks) issued in 2025, the charges stem from a deceased’s estate concerning a tender awarded to a security company by the Matjhabeng Municipality worth millions of rands. The municipality had an outstanding amount exceeding R21 million after services had been rendered. The security company challenged this debt in the Free State High Court, securing judgement in its favour, plus 7% interest since 17 November 2020.
The amount of over R21 million allegedly included R15 million from a settlement agreement, which was purportedly paid into a FNB account provided by Maritz. Investigations revealed that the FNB account belonged to a different company, of which Maritz was the sole director.
In 2025, Maritz was found guilty of sexual offences against five minor children and sentenced to three life sentences and 61 years.
The stepfather from Dagbreek in Welkom was sentenced on 16 counts following a lengthy court process after being found guilty on all charges initially laid in 2019.
The late Sgt Mahlomola Kareli, Free State provincial corporate communication and media liaison, at the time told Vista that the case had been reported to the Thabong Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit on 25 March 2019.
The successful prosecution was handled by Adv. Amanda Bester of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), working with Capt. Fanie van der Merwe. The sentences imposed were:
■ Life imprisonment for rape (three counts).
■ Indecent assault: five years’ imprisonment.
■ Sexual grooming: eight years’ imprisonment (two counts).
■ Exposure of pornography to a child: five years’ imprisonment (two counts).
■ Sexual exploitation of a child: five years’ imprisonment.
■ Production of child pornography: five years’ imprisonment.
■ Sexual assault: three years’ imprisonment (five counts).
■ Compelled sexual assault: five years’ imprisonment.
The provincial commissioner, Lt. Gen. Baile Motswenyane, said the heinous nature of the crimes, committed over years by someone in a position of trust and authority, demanded a firm response.
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