Court convicts PTC employee for fraud

The Ntchisi Magistrate’s Court has convicted and sentenced a former Peoples Trading Centre branch manager at Malomo in Ntchisi of fraud and has ordered him to pay back K2.7 million within nine months.

Passing judgement, Magistrate Ng’oma found Ronald Tesepo guilty on three counts of forgery, false accounting and theft by servant.

An artistic impression of a court scene
An artistic impression of a court scene

Tesepo was sentenced to nine and 18 months in the second and third counts respectively and although he was found guilty in the first count, the magistrate discharged him under Section 337 (1) (a) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Code.

However, Magistrate Ng’oma suspended the custodial sentences on condition that Tesepo pays back K2. 68 million, which he misappropriated when he was in charge of the People’s store.

After discussions among Tesepo’s relatives, prosecuting officers and PTC management after the judgment, it was agreed that Tesepo will start paying back the money next week.

“As Peoples, we are happy with the ruling and this will send a strong warning to other employees who may want to defraud the company that the long arm of the law will catch up with them as it has done with Tesepo,” said Peoples acting chief executive officer Ken Mthunzi. n

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