The stellar investigations by Chatsworth detectives resulted in the successful conviction of a 46-year-old woman, who embezzled funds worth over R5.1m from a local shoe company she was employed at.

Lucy Maistry was brought to book after the directors of Labora Shoes noticed massive financial losses in three months. They reported the matter to police.

Communications officer of Chatsworth SAPS, Captain Cheryl Pillay, explains that Maistry was finally brought to justice after two long years of intensive investigations and court proceedings.

“After consulting with the directors of the company, police found out that in light of the financial losses, the company was forced to retrench some of its employees to survive, however, the company showed no improvement. While auditing the finances, the financial director established that Maistry had been stealing from the company,” explains Pillay.

She adds that Maistry’s position meant that she had an oversight over the payroll system as well as the payment of wages of four companies.

“With a mammoth task ahead of them, police began engaging with banking institutions where it was evident that large sums of money were deposited into Maistry’s bank account,” says Pillay.

Maistry was sentenced to six years imprisonment in the Durban Regional Court, after being found guilty of stealing millions from Labora Shoes, where she worked as the human resources manager.

She is currently serving her sentence in prison.