The impeccable investigation conducted by Detective Warrant Officer Arthur of SAPS Chatsworth has resulted in the successful conviction of a woman who was arrested for fraud after she embezzled funds amounting to over R5.1 million from a company that she worked at.
Chatsworth SAPS Communications Officer, Captain Cheryl Pillay said the Durban Regional Court sentenced Lucy Maistry (46) who was employed as the Human Resources Manager at Labora Shoes in Woodhurst, to six years imprisonment for theft from her employer.
Pillay said: “Seeking help from the South African Police Service, Detective Warrant Officer Arthur assigned as the lead investigator consulted with the directors of the company who informed him that the company had suffered great financial loss over the past three months. The company had retrenched some of its employees to sustain the company however, the company showed no improvement. While auditing the finances, the financial director established that Maistry had been stealing from the company. Maistry, who was the Human Resources Manager, had oversight over the payrolls system and payment of wages of four companies.”
Cpt Pillay said that with a mammoth task ahead of him, W/O Arthur began engaging with banking institutions where it was evident that deposited large sums of money into Maistry’s bank account.
“It was evident that Maistry had embezzled an undisclosed amount of funds. After two year of intensive investigations and court proceedings, Maistry was brought to justice where she is serving her sentence in prison,” she said.
Station Commander of SAPS Chatsworth Brigadier Ruth De Villiers, commended Detective Warrant Officer Arthur for the sterling investigation he conducted.
Brig De Villiers said: “I am pleased with the sentences meted out by Department of Justice. This highly skilled investigator whose forte is the investigation of economic crimes attributes his success to commitment, discipline and dedication towards serving the people of South Africa. As members of the service, we may not be able to give back the money that was taken from the victims but it can serve as justice served through her incarceration.”
