A former Human Resources Manager at a school for children with special needs has been sentenced to six years in prison after stealing R6 million over several years.
Christopher Fischer, who worked at New Hope School, was found guilty of 11 counts of fraud committed between July 2018 and April 2022. His job included handling salary payments for staff employed by the School Governing Body.
During his time at the school, Fischer created multiple bank accounts in his name and used them to pay fake employees. The money was then funneled into his personal use. He reportedly used some of the stolen funds to buy a VW Golf GTI worth R150,000 and to fuel a gambling habit.
In court, he pleaded for a lighter sentence, but the prosecution pushed for direct imprisonment due to the seriousness of the crime. The court agreed and handed down a six-year jail term.