ZWELITSHA – The idiom, ‘Do not bite the hand that feeds you,’ teaches one not to be disrespectful or ungrateful towards anyone who may be providing one with food or monetary value such as a job or anything else.
A 55-year-old employee bit off the metaphorical hand of her employer, 55 times by defrauding the company of R1 601 890-57 over a three year period. Elaine Heuer, an employee at the company for 32 years, shrewdly manipulated figures and the debtors system.
Due to exceptional investigation by D/WO Mariette Olivier from the Commercial Crime Task Team in Komani, she was successfully charged on 55 counts of fraud and theft.
The accused pleaded guilty on all the charges and on Wednesday, 23 February 2022, she was sentenced in the Komani Regional court to eight years imprisonment of which two years are suspended for a period of five years
The Acting District Commissioner, Brigadier Magqashela welcomed the sentence and iterated that ‘it is quite disturbing and disappointing when an employee breaches the trust of her employer by stealing from them. Such a devious act is criminal and no mercy should be shown to ungrateful employees. This conviction and sentencing is a lesson to anyone who may think that they will never be caught, it is only a matter of time when greed gets the better of you and justice takes its course.’
Source: South African Police Service