Sentencing of former Cambridge High School assistant bursar and fraudster Merle Laity has been postponed.
Laity was convicted of stealing R2.3-million from Cambridge.
In her multiple plundering of school money, Laity even stole money for the school’s matric dance.
It was clear from yesterday’s submission from her legal team that Laity is lining up a range of experts to testify in her favour in the hope that her sentence will be lessened.
Her team, led by advocate Johan Bester, yesterday asked the court for a postponement in order to be able to submit a number of reports to be used in arguing for a mitigation of her sentence.
Laity was found guilty by East London regional court magistrate Deon Rossouw of eight counts of theft and one of fraud.
However, Bester asked the court for more time to to submit a medical report on the state of her health, a psychologist’s report, and a private social worker’s report, in a bid to influence the court in deciding on her punishment.
Bester yesterday told Rossouw that the defence team is already in possession of the psychologist’s report, and that they were now waiting for the two other reports.
He said it could “three or four weeks” for such reports to be made available to the court.
Rossouw postponed his sentencing to August 24.
“I wanted to finalise this matter as soon as possible, but there is no need to push it unnecessarily,” said Rossouw.
Rossouw found Laity guilty of:
lStealing R132000 received from the school’s PTA fundraising efforts;
lStealing R312195 paid by pupils for school blazers, badges, school camps and other items;
lTheft of R178000 the school received for pupils’ photographs;
lTheft of R5000 the school received for a matric dance; and
lTheft of R3360.
During trial, it was the defence’s case that Laity was not the only person with access to such funds.
The transgressions were discovered by Andrew Whitaker, a member of the school governing body, when the school ran out of money for day-to-day expenses and salaries.
Whitaker was one of the state witnesses during Laity’s trial, which started in the middle of last year. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
Sentencing of former Cambridge bursar delayed for reports
Laity was convicted of stealing R2.3-million from Cambridge.
In her multiple plundering of school money, Laity even stole money for the school’s matric dance.
It was clear from yesterday’s submission from her legal team that Laity is lining up a range of experts to testify in her favour in the hope that her sentence will be lessened.
Her team, led by advocate Johan Bester, yesterday asked the court for a postponement in order to be able to submit a number of reports to be used in arguing for a mitigation of her sentence.
Laity was found guilty by East London regional court magistrate Deon Rossouw of eight counts of theft and one of fraud.
However, Bester asked the court for more time to to submit a medical report on the state of her health, a psychologist’s report, and a private social worker’s report, in a bid to influence the court in deciding on her punishment.
Bester yesterday told Rossouw that the defence team is already in possession of the psychologist’s report, and that they were now waiting for the two other reports.
He said it could “three or four weeks” for such reports to be made available to the court.
Rossouw postponed his sentencing to August 24.
“I wanted to finalise this matter as soon as possible, but there is no need to push it unnecessarily,” said Rossouw.
Rossouw found Laity guilty of:
lStealing R132000 received from the school’s PTA fundraising efforts;
lStealing R312195 paid by pupils for school blazers, badges, school camps and other items;
lTheft of R178000 the school received for pupils’ photographs;
lTheft of R5000 the school received for a matric dance; and
lTheft of R3360.
During trial, it was the defence’s case that Laity was not the only person with access to such funds.
The transgressions were discovered by Andrew Whitaker, a member of the school governing body, when the school ran out of money for day-to-day expenses and salaries.
Whitaker was one of the state witnesses during Laity’s trial, which started in the middle of last year. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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