Two cashiers bust for allegedly defrauding Free State pharmacy

Two female cashiers at a pharmacy in Welkom in the Free State are facing fraud and theft charges after allegedly deceiving and stealing from their employer. 

The women, aged 33 and 45, are expected to appear in the Welkom magistrate's court on April 29. 

The duo allegedly defrauded the pharmacy and stole cash and cosmetics between February 2015 and June 2020. 

Police spokesperson Lt-Col Zweli Mohobeleli said their manager noticed shortages and started to investigate.

“He discovered that both cashiers were selling items and doing false voids after the customer had left. This made it look as if the transaction was invalid and the item was still in store when, in fact, the customer had paid and left with the item. They would thereafter pocket the money,” he said.

The pharmacy lost R270,000 as a result of the fraudulent transactions.

Mohobeleli said further investigation revealed that cosmetics received from a merchant were neither put on the shelves nor read into the system.

Further, it was later confirmed that, during the Covid-19 lockdown, one of the suspects instructed a merchant to deliver cosmetics to her home instead of the pharmacy.

“These products never made their way to the pharmacy. The matter was reported to the Welkom serious commercial crime investigation unit which collected evidence and presented a watertight case before the National Prosecuting Authority. The court issued summons which were served on March 25 and 26 respectively,” Mohobeleli said.

He said the suspects were arrested in Welkom and Johannesburg.

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