A former employee of the Sheraton Aggie Grey’s Hotel in Vaisigano has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges of theft amounting to more than half a million tala. 

Cruz Misipele, 22-year-old of Lepea and Vailoa Palauli appeared before Supreme Court Judge Justice Fepuleai Ameperosa Roma. 

The defendant pleaded not guilty to 52 charges through his lawyer Alex Sua. The charges include forgery, theft as a servant and obtaining financial advantage by deception. 

A breakdown of the charges shows 29 counts of obtaining by deception, 20 counts of forgery, two counts of theft as a servant and one count of using a forged document involving more than half a million tala owned by the hotel. 

According to the charging sheets, the alleged theft started on 3 January and continued for three months with the last transaction made on 25 March 2024. 

It started with small withdrawals from his employer of $300 to $2000 from the BSP bank and in one incident he allegedly stole $7000 from the property. 

Most of the forged transactions were made in Savalalo and the stolen cheque of $7000 was done in Mulifanua. 

The defendant allegedly stole the chequebook belonging to Sheraton Aggie Grey’s Hotel in Vaisigano to withdraw money from several BSP branches. His hearing is not until 16 June next year and will remain on bail until his next appearance in court.