The former chief executive of Kokiri, a Maori learning centre in South Dunedin, is on trial this week charged with embezzling almost $125,000 from the centre.
Lynette Anne Collins-Watson (59), of Dunedin, has pleaded not guilty to five offences allegedly committed between January 2009 and February last year.
The alleged offending is against the Arai Te Uru Kokiri Centre Charitable Trust, which funds the learning centre.
Four of the allegations involve the theft of money ($123,460.45 in total), and the other, the theft of a smartphone ($985).
Prosecutor Crown counsel Robin Bates said it was alleged Collins-Watson claimed $86,496.70 remuneration she was not entitled to, disguising money being paid into her account as having been paid to Te Wananga o Aotearoa (a large educational provider), between April 4, 2011 and February 16 last year.
It was also alleged Collins-Watson paid herself and her daughter $27,935.50 wages for cleaning that did not occur, between January 31, 2009 and February 20 last year; that in her responsibility for entries into the accounting system, she created false entries and wrote cash cheques amounting to $6377.70, cashed by her and others, between May 5, 2011 and April 16, 2014; and that she used $2650.55 Kokiri funds to pay for goods and services not associated with Kokiri, between February 18, 2011 and January 27 last year.
The alleged theft of the smartphone was on April 1, 2011.
Robert Malcolm Gale, now the chief executive of the Kokiri training centre, said Collins-Watson's employment with Kokiri ended on April 24 last year. The alleged offending came to light when he was working for the Kokiri charitable trust board as a transition co-ordinator.
The trial, before Judge Kevin Phillips, began in the Dunedin District Court yesterday.
Collins-Watson is represented by counsel Anne Stevens.
