The court has sentenced a woman to five years imprisonment or to pay a fine of R20,000 after she was convicted of theft from the school she worked at.
Lilian Lynette Rieger Adonis worked as a financial officer, overseeing Fort Beaufort Primary School's financial transactions, receiving, recording and banking school funds.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in the Eastern Cape, Luxulo Tyali, said Adonis stole more than R500,000 from the school between January 2017 and July 2018.
Tyali said three key witnesses', including chartered accountant and auditor, Titus Van Der Walt, testified that monies were missing from school funds.
"Adonis had received the money but failed to deposit it within the required timeframe, with some funds left unbanked for up to 80 days. Despite denying any knowledge of the missing funds, the investigation, triggered by the audit, found that Adonis was solely responsible for handling the school's finances, with other staff members only handling money during her absence," Tyali said.
The State stressed that Adonis's actions, which resulted in substantial financial loss for the school, further highlighted how she breached the school's trust.
IOL