Steinhoff's former Chief Executive Markus Jooste appears in parliament to face a panel investigating an accounting scandal that rocked the retailer in Cape Town, South Africa, September 5, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Steinhoff’s former chief executive, Markus Jooste, told a parliamentary inquiry investigating an accounting scandal at the retailer that he was not aware of any accounting irregularities when he left the firm in December.

Jooste told the inquiry that he lost 3 billion rand ($193 million) due to the company’s stock collapse after the scandal was uncovered.

“I must place on record that when I left Steinhoff on the 4th of December, I was not aware of any accounting irregularities they are referring to,” Jooste said.

($1 = 15.5501 rand)