Pretoria – The Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court has sentenced former McDonald’s employee Clement Othusitse Seothaeng, to 10 years direct imprisonment for extortion and malicious property damage after he made a recording of himself spitting into an ice-cream at work, and demanded money to avoid leaking the video.
North Gauteng regional spokesperson for the director of public prosecutions, Lumka Mahanjana said the 27-year-old man who hails from Pampierstad, Northern Cape had been employed as a crew member at a McDonald’s outlet in Montana, Pretoria.
“On September 23, 2017, while at work Seothaeng recorded himself in a 20-second video clip with his phone preparing a McFlurry ice cream without showing his face, but just a person wearing a uniform.
However, when preparing it, he spat inside the Mcflurry ice cream, mixed it and closed the cap,” said Mahanjana.
“After recording himself, he sent the clip to the manager with a different number as a concerned customer demanding R150 000 to avoid the video circulation on social media.”
The manager reported the matter to the police, and a trap was immediately set.
Seothaeng was arrested a few days later, on September 29, 2017.
“During the aggravation of sentence, prosecutor David Molokomme asked the court to impose a sentence that will serve as a deterrent to people who use social media for anti-social behaviour for undue benefits,” said Mahanjana.
On Wednesday, the National Prosecuting Authority welcomed the sentence.
Seothaeng was sentenced to 10 years in jail for extortion, and five years for malicious damages to property.
The magistrate ordered that the sentences run concurrently.
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