Sentencing delayed in Kay Makan case

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File photo

Published Jul 31, 2015

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Durban - The mother of three who stole more than R1 million from her employers, a KwaZulu-Natal electronic goods chain, will have to wait to hear her fate after her sentencing was postponed on Thursday.

Delene Singh, who celebrated her 34th birthday on Thursday, was due to be sentenced in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court for theft after pleading guilty to stealing R1 031 473 during her time as an employee at Kay Makan Electronics.

Singh has confessed to stealing between 2008 and 2011, while employed as an accounts clerk.

In her plea, Singh said she had initially stolen two cheques, the value of which she could not remember.

But then, during the course of the year, the stolen cheques were detected by her financial manager, Shannilroy Baliram Batchu, who confronted Singh and then blackmailed her, she said.

“He gave me a choice as to whether or not he would expose my theft or, alternatively, continue to steal cheques and pay him a portion of the value thereof,” Singh said.

Singh then continued to steal blank cheques, signed by Kanthylal (Kay) Makan, the owner of the company.

She then filled in the details and deposited the money into her personal bank account.

Once these cheques had cleared, Singh would draw the proceeds and pay Batchu his share in cash.

While Singh was on maternity leave, Makan became aware that something was amiss with the company’s finances, and Batchu turned Singh in.

When Makan confronted Singh with the theft, she confessed.

She said she personally benefited from the theft in the amount of R400 000. Singh claimed the rest was given to Batchu, and that he was always paid in cash.

Kay Makan has subsequently closed down all its stores in the province, putting 70 employees out of work.

Sentence was postponed to September for a social worker’s report to be compiled.

Daily News

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