Education thief faces sentence

06 July 2011 - 01:46 By NASHIRA DAVIDS
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Gavel. File photo.
Gavel. File photo.
Image: Times Media Group

A former Western Cape education assistant director is bracing herself for sentence after being convicted of stealing more than R1-million earmarked for teaching materials.

Bridget Claasen, 31, was found guilty of fraud in Cape Town's Commercial Crimes Court last month after confessing to the theft.

She is out on bail.

Her advocate, William Fisher, said yesterday she "decided to come clean and throw herself on the mercy of the court. We will be arguing in mitigation of sentence."

Evidence was that she was a "project leader" responsible for buying pupil-teacher support materials with access to the department's bank account.

In only three months in 2009, she transferred R1081868,40 into her account "fraudulently" by creating "fictitious requisitions".

Claasen persuaded a colleague to give her a special "user ID and password" so she could steal the money.

Western Cape education MEC Donald Grant welcomed her conviction, warning that anyone stealing public funds in his department would be dealt with firmly.

"The abuse of public funds, particularly funds allocated for the improvement of education for our children, is extremely serious and disheartening," said Grant.

"In this case, the fraudulent actions by an employee were fortunately detected at an early stage and dealt with promptly and vigorously within the framework of the law."

The case continues on for July 20.

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