Receptionist jailed for stealing S$6,800 from SAF Yacht Club

SINGAPORE: A girl was jailed 15 months on Thursday (Apr 7) for stealing about S$6,800 whereas working as a receptionist on the SAF Yacht Club, utilizing the cash for her family bills and monetary obligations.

Jai Chithra Sunmugvale, 42, additionally signed an settlement and picked up S$1,200 in hire on behalf of her sister-in-law when she was not authorised to take action.

She pleaded responsible to two prices of felony breach of belief and dishonest, and was sentenced to an extra 50 days’ jail as she dedicated one of many offences whereas underneath a remission order.

Two extra prices had been thought-about for sentencing. These had been for mendacity to the human assets supervisor of the SAF Yacht Club that she had no felony report, and for stealing one other S$350 from her sister-in-law.

The courtroom heard that Jai Chithra was employed to work on the SAF Yacht Club in October 2020. Her function concerned manning the corporate’s entrance desk, receiving money funds and storing them in a protected on the finish of the day.

On Nov 29, 2020, she accepted about S$235 in money from a buyer as cost for an influence boat licence course. However, she stored the cash and didn’t replace the participant listing for this course to incorporate the client.

After ending work that day, Jai Chithra additionally retrieved S$6,635 from the money register and took it house.

The theft was found the following day when her colleague discovered that money was lacking from the protected. The colleague requested Jai Chithra the place the cash was, and he or she admitted to taking it.

The courtroom additionally heard that in December 2020, Jai Chithra was serving to her 39-year-old sister-in-law search for a brand new flat to purchase.

The sister-in-law believed Jai Chithra was extra skilled with such issues, in order that they agreed that she would deal with sure affairs associated to the acquisition.

However, the sister-in-law by no means authorised Chithra to signal any settlement or gather any hire on her behalf, stated the prosecutor.

The sister-in-law discovered a flat and signed an choice to buy it in December 2020. In April 2021, the vendor stated that she would want extra time to search for one other flat to maneuver into.

Jai Chithra met with the property agent to debate this, and informed the agent that the vendor might proceed staying within the flat for S$1,200, however provided that S$1,000 was first transferred to her. The vendor did so.

Jai Chithra additionally signed a doc ready by the agent, which purportedly agreed to an extension of the vendor’s keep within the flat. The events named within the settlement had been the vendor and Jai Chithra’s sister-in-law.

During a scheduled inspection of the flat on May 29 final 12 months, Jai Chithra met the vendor and acquired the excellent S$200 in hire. She took the money and issued a handwritten receipt that she signed in her sister-in-law’s title.

The sister-in-law made a police report in August after being knowledgeable of those occasions by the property agent.

Jai Chithra has since made restitution to her sister-in-law, whereas no restoration or restitution was made for the theft from SAF Yacht Club.

The prosecution famous that Jai Chithra’s theft was dedicated in an amateurish and opportunistic trend, however stated that she was unremorseful and gave “spurious defences” after her offences had been found.

He additionally argued for an extended sentence as Jai Chithra had prior convictions for related offences. She was beforehand given 9 months’ jail for felony breach of belief in 2018.

Jai Chithra, who carried out her personal defence, seemed to be crying and sniffling as she informed the decide that she was sorry for her actions.

She requested for a lighter sentence to be reunited sooner along with her three-year-old toddler, who was within the care of her aged mom.

“During this period in remand I realise that being away from my child is a more excruciating punishment,” she stated.

District Judge Lee Lit Cheng stated Jai Chithra was a recalcitrant offender whose string of earlier convictions demonstrated her persistence in offending and disrespect for the regulation.

The prosecution utilized for a compensation order for the cash stolen from SAF Yacht Club, however the decide didn’t order this as Jai Chithra stated she didn’t have the monetary means to pay.