Invoices detailing how Schumacher spent the money on clothes and entertainment, among other things, were presented to the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Tuesday as arguments were made in mitigation and aggravation of sentencing.
In the state’s heads of argument, prosecutor Leigh-Anne Pillay-Sehlale said the crime was committed in a deliberate and persistent manner.
Schumacher created two bank accounts which she used “solely for receiving the illicit money and that no other money was received in these accounts”.
Schumacher earned a salary of more than R20,000 a month and had a car allowance to pay for her VW Touran while her house was fully paid for by her husband.
“Her greed was such that she placed her employer at risk by defrauding a budget that was set aside for the poorest of the poor — litter-pickers who earned meagre wages.”
Schumacher started working for the municipality as a depot clerk in 2007 and was promoted to community liaison officer in 2013.
– HeraldLIVE