Man accused of defrauding special needs school of R6m handed 12-year sentence

Christopher Fischer appeared at the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday over 11 counts of fraud, committed between July 2018 and April 2022 at New Hope School in Pretoria.

A man convicted of defrauding a special-needs school of more than R6 million was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Christopher Fischer appeared at the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday, over 11 counts of fraud, committed between July 2018 and April 2022.

The 44-year-old worked as a human resources manager at New Hope School, which caters for learners with special education needs.

It was revealed in court that Fischer fraudulently made 11 payments into multiple bank accounts registered in his name.

He was in charge of managing the payments of staff employed by the School Governing Body at the time.

After his colleague noted irregularities in some documents, investigations revealed that he had been making payments to non-existent employees.

The school also suffered a tax liability exceeding R500,000 due to his criminal act.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said, “The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the outcome of this case as a clear statement that those who exploit public institutions will be held accountable.”

His 12-year sentence will be considered for parole in five to six years.