Pauline Langi, a former cashier, breached trust by stealing company funds despite being given multiple chances to repay, leading to a 32-month sentence with 12 months suspended.
Pauline Langi, a mother of five, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for theft and embezzlement totalling $155,588. The Supreme Court heard that Langi, a cashier and finance manager for a small company, began stealing shortly after starting her employment.
Initially, she took 1,800, and her employers, showing considerable leniency, allowed her to repay the amount through an agreement.
However, Langi failed to repay the money and stole an additional 1,800, and her employers, showing considerable leniency, allowed her to repay the amount through an agreement. Langi failed again to repay the money and stole an additional 7,000 two weeks later. Despite being given a second chance, she continued her fraudulent activities, withdrawing 20,000 on August 2, 2023, another 20,000 on August 2, 2023, and another 20,000 on August 18, 2023.
Her theft escalated further, with withdrawals of 29,000 on September 20, 2023, 29,000 on September 20, 2023, and 27,000 through a third party on September 28, 2023, bringing the total of the four checks to 96,000. Police investigations revealed that Langi had also embezzled 96,000. Police investigations revealed that tLangi had also embezzled 57,588 from customer payments, resulting in a combined theft of $155,588.
During sentencing, Justice Bishop highlighted the severity of Langi’s actions, stating, “These are very serious offences. What makes them particularly serious is, first, you were given two chances, which you ignored; second, your actions were a breach of the trust placed in you; and third, your systemic dishonesty, born of avarice and greed, caused economic, emotional, and reputational damage to your employers.”
Langi did not explain her actions other than giving her brother some stolen money.
A pre-sentence report from the Probation Office, filed on January 14, 2025, detailed her stable upbringing but noted her “high risk” of re-offending due to her lack of previous good character, unemployment, and associations with negative influences.
Despite her early guilty plea, Justice Bishop imposed a sentence of 32 months imprisonment for theft and 24 months for embezzlement, to be served concurrently. He suspended the final 12 months of the punishment for one year, conditional on Langi not committing further offences, reporting to the Probation Office within 48 hours of release, and being placed on probation.
“For the avoidance of doubt, you will serve 20 months’ imprisonment followed by 12 months suspended on conditions,” Justice Bishop concluded.
