Picture this scenario:
You write to your MP about your financial situation, saying you’re strapped for cash. Sympathetic to your plight, the MP helps you get a job.
But instead of being thankful and saving the money you earn, you steal from your new employer and end up going to jail.
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Sounds crazy, right? Well, that’s exactly what this 41-year-old woman did, and much more.
RC Manager Stole Money After Being Referred to Job By MP
When Sri Hawa Safiee was in financial distress, she turned to her MP for help.
According to CNA, the 41-year-old woman had met her MP, who was not named, in 2015 to discuss her financial situation and lack of employment.
In an effort to help the woman, the MP referred Sri for an interview at the Residents’ Committee (RC) for Woodlands Zone 1, where she was hired as manager.
As RC manager, Sri’s duties included managing daily operations and handling the RC’s financial accounts, as well as cash and cheques paid by residents for RC events.
In Aug 2015, the RC received $500 from residents as payment for a table booking at their annual National Day dinner.
The RC’s vice-chairman handed Sri the money, and instructed her to deposit the sum into the RC’s bank account and issue a cheque for the same amount to be made payable to the constituency.
Sri issued the cheque, but instead of depositing the cash, she spent it on her own expenses.
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She did the same thing in June 2016, when she was handed $90 as payment for a mooncake-making course.
Oh, but that’s not the worst of it.
Photocopied Cleaner’s IC to Apply for Mobile Phone Plan Which Led to $1.3K Debt for the Victim
Sometime before July 2015, the 41-year-old stumbled upon a photocopy of a woman’s identity card (IC) in the RC office.
The IC belonged to a cleaner who worked under Sri at the time.
Most of us would simply return the photocopy to the cleaner, and carry on with our life.
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But not Sri; she had dollar signs in her eyes, and there was no stopping her at this point.
Sri used the poor cleaner’s particulars to apply for a mobile phone plan, signing up for a package that included a phone worth S$998.
She used the phone for a few months before selling it for S$300.
The victim ended up accruing debts of S$1,335.45 thanks to Sri, which prompted Singtel to pursue the victim for their money.
The victim informed her son about the sky high bill, and the son lodged a report with the police.
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Sentenced to Three months & Six weeks’ Jail
After conducting internal investigations, the RC unearthed the truth and called the police in.
Sri’s supervisor then discovered the discrepancies in the RC’s bank account and made a police report. Sri was also fired.
On Monday (28 Sep), the 41-year-old was sentenced to three months and six weeks’ jail for criminal breach of trust by a servant and for cheating.
It could have ended a lot worse for her, though.
For criminal breach of trust, Sri could have been jailed for up to 15 years and fined. And for cheating, she could have been sitting behind bars for up to 10 years and fined.
Sri’s account should serve as a cautionary tale to all of us.
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When someone offers you an opportunity to get back on your feet, don’t misuse or abuse it.
It’s hard enough to get help these days.
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