Charges against workers withdrawn

FRAUD charges against eight employees of the popular Nahoon Steers fast food franchise were withdrawn late last week in the East London Magistrate’s Court.

The workers were accused of stealing more than R100 000 from the burger outlet.

The charges against the five women and three men were withdrawn by the National Prosecuting Authority.

NPA spokesman Tshepo Ndwalaza could not be reached for comment but Cambridge police spokesman Captain Mluleki Mbi confirmed that the charges were withdrawn.

However, he said police were still investigating.

The accused, between the ages of 25 and 37, were arrested on Tuesday by the Cambridge police after the owner of the store, Page Group CEO Darrel Eberhardt, pressed charges.

“This was after their employers discovered that large sums of money had been swindled for the past year and alerted the police to investigate the matter,” said Mbi.

It is not clear whether the employees would go back to their jobs now that the charges had been withdrawn.

The Dispatch tried on several occasions to get a comment from Page Group but Eberhardt would only say: “No comment.”

A source close to the case, who asked not to be named, said some of the money allegedly went missing from till points while other sums were allegedly swindled by redirecting electronic funds transfers to their own accounts.

The accused were not present in court on Thursday when the charges were withdrawn.

The Dispatch called the Nahoon outlet on Wednesday night and was told by a supervisor: “We are busy with Wacky Wednesday sir. We can’t deal with the media now.”

The Dispatch even visited the busy store which was overcrowded with customers

A manager at the outlet, who declined to give his name, told the Dispatch that the person authorised to speak to the media, identified only as Thando, had rushed out to buy buns. —