A 52-year-old financial officer of a primary school in Mpumalanga, Larrisa Aloma Vern, was remanded in custody when she appeared before the Delmas Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
Vern appeared in court after she was arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (also known as the Hawks) for allegedly defrauding the school of an amount over R2.6 million.
Her case was postponed to Monday and Tuesday next week for formal bail application, according to Mpumalanga provincial Hawks spokesperson, Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi.
It is alleged that during December 2021, Vern was appointed by Delmas Primary School as a financial officer.
“Her duties and responsibilities were to make payments for services rendered, pay salaries to teachers appointed by the school governing body, receive cash for sales made at the school, manage the school budget, ensure expenses does not exceed budget, handling petty cash and making deposits at the bank,” said Sekgotodi.
In October last year, the school received information suggesting that Vern had paid herself two bonuses, and an investigation was conducted.
“During investigation, it was discovered that on March 6, 2023, the suspect paid herself R11,237 which was correct, but on October 20, 2023 she paid herself another bonus of R22,543 which was not permitted,” according to Sekgotodi.
“During further investigation, it was discovered that from March 4, 2023 to November 2, 2023, an amount of R2,665,007 was paid out from school bank account to four Capitec bank account numbers belonging to the suspect,” she said.
“One bank account received more than one payment with different references. She used the name of account holders known by the school to transfer funds to her personal bank accounts. The total amount defrauded from the school is R2,665,007.”
The matter was finalised and a warrant of arrest was authorised and executed on Friday.
Vern was arrested and detained, pending her appearance before the Delmas Magistrate’s Court.
Last year, a Limpopo woman was arrested by the Hawks on allegations of stealing R1.5 million from her employer, the Thabazimbi Christian School.
At the time, provincial spokesperson of the Hawks in Limpopo, Lieutenant-Colonel Matimba Maluleke said Pretorius was arrested by the Limpopo Hawks serious commercial crime investigation unit for allegedly embezzling R1.5 million from the Thabazimbi Christian School.
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