A former messenger who admitted to stealing more
than $86,000 from H. Lavity Stoutt Community College pleaded guilty in High Court Tuesday.
Febby Merry, a 43-year-old St. Vincent national who lives in Greenland, pleaded guilty to one count of theft. Prosecutors then dropped the two other counts of theft against him. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 29.
Mr. Merry, who has since been fired from his job at HLSCC, reportedly stole $86,374.82 from the school between Feb. 6, 2007 and May 20, 2008, Senior Crown Counsel Christilyn Benjamin said in July 2010.
As messenger, Mr. Merry was responsible for collecting cash from four of the college’s departments at the end of each day. He had to collect reports of the cash and sign them, and would receive sealed plastic bags of cash and cheques in exchange. According to the Crown counsel, investigations showed that some of the proceeds never made it to the bank.
Discrepancies in the college’s books came to light in 2009, and three audits were completed. Mr. Merry, who worked at HLSCC for 18 years, later gave a signed confession and repaid more than $54,700, Ms. Benjamin said in 2010.