WINDHOEK – The Windhoek Magistrate’s Court last week slapped a 43-year-old woman with a N$10 000 fine for allegedly defrauding her employer of N$16 000.
Magistrate Jermaine Muchali gave Lydia Goagoses the option of paying the fine of N$10 000 or to risk spending two years behind bars. Goagoses faced a charge of theft for stealing N$16 000 on July 15, 2009 from Combretum Trust School in Windhoek. Goagoses was arrested on July 22, 2009. The money was recovered during that period. She pleaded guilty to the charge and informed the court that she is a single mother of two children and also supports her late sister’s three children. Goagoses further informed the court that her take home monthly salary is N$12 500 and after all her all expenses, she is left with only N$2 000, which could not sustain her family. “You informed this court that you stole the N$16 000 due to difficulties and had expenses to pay, however even if you had such difficulties that cannot be a justification because there are other ways of lawfully obtaining money such as obtaining a loan,” the magistrate told Goagoses. “What makes this offence serious is the fact that you stole from your employer, as the prosecutor stated, you breached the trust between you and your employer.”
Muchali went on to say that the court appreciates the fact that Goagoses pleaded guilty, which can be deemed a sign of remorse and that she realised that her actions were indeed wrong. “Furthermore, your guilty plea has shortened the trial process, but at the end of the day, the fact still remains that you committed an offence and you have been convicted. After assessing your personal circumstances, the nature of the offence and the interest of society, the court concludes that the nature of the offence outweighs your personal circumstances,” the magistrate ruled.
By Tunomukwathi Asino