GEORGE NEWS - The state called its second and final witness in the Chantelle Kyd trial that resumed in the Thembalethu Regional Court on Monday 31 July.
Kyd, a former financial clerk at both the Thembalethu Primary and later the Dellville Park Primary schools, is charged with 66 cases of fraud involving R330 000. The state alleges that Kyd issued cheques that were then cashed by two family members at the bank.
Kyd's cousin, Mornay Wildeman, who was initially charged together with her, testified as a *Section 204 witness. Although he was warned in terms of section 204 of the Criminal Procedure Act, he never implicated himself. The court still has to decide whether or not to prosecute Wildeman.
Wildeman was questioned by the prosecutor, Brandon Smith, asking how the cashing of the cheques came about. He said he would get a phone call from Kyd, and then he would pick up the cheque, go to the bank and cash it. "Upon my return she gave me my share to cover my time and petrol."
On being asked, Wildeman said he did not think it was unusual, as sometimes the school principals, Bongani Mgijima of Thembalethu and the late Elroy Makan of Dellville Primary Park were "around" while he was collecting the cheque or handing over the cash. "I did my work and got paid."
Letter
After Wildeman's testimony Kyd took the stand and denied that she stole any money from the schools.
Smith referred to a letter, read at a previous court appearance, written by Kyd and delivered by her sister to Robert Grootboom, the current headmaster of Dellville Park Primary. Smith asked for clarity on the sentence "I am ashamed (ek sak my kop in skaamte) at what I have done and hope that one day Mr Grootboom will maybe understand how desperate I was. I am sorry that you, Mr Makan and the school are victims of my actions."
Questioned if in this letter she admits to defrauding the school and taking the money for herself, Kyd replied no not at all. She testified that she was ashamed that her bookkeeping wasn't up to date and that at the pending visit by officials from the education department, the school would be viewed in a poor light by the officials.
The aim of the letter was to explain how she felt. "I have the highest regard for Mr Grootboom and I felt I had let him and the school down."
Kyd evaded a question by Smith as to what was on her conscience when she wrote the letter, saying only, "We won't find common ground as Smith seems to want another answer".
Headmasters' unusual requests for cheques
Kyd was asked to explain why in 2011 while already working at Dellville Park Primary, she was visited by the Thembalethu Primary headmaster and asked to write out cheques for his school. She said there was no pressure for her to write out the cheques and that she had a very good relationship with her previous employer. She added she never needed the money.
Smith asked why there were no petty cash cheques, only cheques in the name of her cousin Mornay Wildeman, to which she replied that was the way it was done and she found nothing strange about it.
Kyd was asked to explain why both Mgijima and Makan came to her house shortly after the birth of her child on
10 June 2011 so that she could write out cheques. Smith said that surely she wasn't needed as by that time, Thembalethu Primary must have appointed a new financial clerk and at Dellville Park someone must have stood in for her while on maternity leave. Kyd didn't answer.
The case will resume on Tuesday 15 August when closing arguments will be presented.
Section 204 of the Criminal Procedure Act says that a witness may be granted full indemnity on a charge should he testify for the state and the court deems this testimony to be honest and frank.
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