Large-scale

Embezzlement

By Samoan

From Our Own Correspondent APIA, June 14.

A CASE which created a great deal of ’excitement and comment was heard here on May 30, before Chief Judge J. R. Herd of the High Court. A Samoan clerk and typist of the Justice Depart ment, Te’o Taulalo, of Tanugamanono, was convicted on a charge of stealing £719 from the Administration.

Inspector A. L. Braisby prosecuted for the police and the accused was defended by Mr. G. T. Jackson. He pleaded guilty.

On July 1, 1943, Te’o Taulalo had been appointed clerk and typist of the Justice Department and was given charge of the keys of the safe and strong-room under control of the Registrar of the Court, Mr. A. B. L. Tattersall. His duty was to receive all monies payable to the Justice Department on behalf of the Registrar and to apply this money to the purchase of Revenue Stamps from the Treasury, the stamps to be affixed to the Court Records to which these payments related.

On March 15, 1945, the New Zealand Government auditors commenced an examination of the accounting records of the Justice Department. This was the first audit of these records for three years. The amounts of cash and Revenue Stamps found by the auditors did not agree with the check of receipts in. the revenue receipt books.

Te’o Taulalo was then asked to explain but was unable to show when he had last affixed Revenue Stamps to the Court Register and other records. Additional discrepancies were then found and the position was reported to the Registrar.

Questioned by the latter, Te’o Taulalo admitted that he was short in his cash to the extent of about £7OO. He was immediately relieved of his position and placed in custody. He stated that he had been careless with the office key and offered, if given time, to make restitu tion. He also drew up a list of docu ment to which he had omitted to affix Revenue Stamps or in relation to which he had not accounted for money received.

Te’o Taulalo was charged with having converted the money to his own use, and convicted. He has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.

He refused to make any statement to the police, and to date none of the miss ing money has been recovered.