THE TRIAL of the case of a former Bank of South Pacific (BSP) officer accused of stealing more than $73,000 from the bank in 2014 completed, Thursday.
Closing submissions on the case will be made in court on October 2 before Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Kouhota.
Alice Gila Chachabule Lalase of Isabel has stood trial for one count of larceny by servant.
She was working as an appointment teller at the Commercial department at that time of the alleged offending between 1 January 2014 and 12 June 2014.
Prosecution alleged that a senior bank officer carried a surprise cash count on 12 June 2014 and found a shortage of coins and loose cash of more than $10,000.
The accused was then stopped from operating as a teller and temporarily worked at the enquiry counter pending internal investigation.
A full cash count was later made by two senior staff on June 25, where they found another shortage of more than $63,000.
The prosecution further alleged that the accused was called on the 26th June 2014 by senior bank management officers for an interview in which she allegedly said the shortage were from surpluses that she returned to DIDAO and Compass Company Ltd sometimes in March 2014.
The management found otherwise and reported the matter to the Police for investigations.
Prosecution called a total of eight witnesses including four bank officers and representative from Didao and Compass Company Ltd.
Lalase gave a sworn statement and did not call any witness.
The hearing started on September 9.
Allan Tinoni of Public Solicitor’s Office represents the accused while Public Prosecutor Willy Vaiyu appeared for the State.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
