GLENWOOD High School, school governing body (SGB) released a statement regarding allegations of fraud against retired principal Trevor Kershaw after news of the headmaster’s arrest emerged yesterday.
Kershaw appeared briefly at the Durban Comercial Crimes Court on Friday afternoon on charges of fraud. The charges were related to an alleged 177 fraudulent payments estimated to total a staggering R5 million.
Kershaw was ordered to hand in his South African and British passports and granted bail of R 100 000 with strict bail conditions. Natasha Kara, National Prosecuting Authority spokeswoman confirmed that Kershaw was not allowed to visit the school, was to report to the Westville police station twice a week and not to leave the province without permission from the investigating officer.
A statement on the School’s website and Facebook page says “It was with sincere regret that, after the Headmaster indicated his intention to leave Glenwood High School during 2015 to pursue other interests, and after he tendered his resignation to the Department of Education, by whom he’s employed, an unrelated, snap audit uncovered the possibility that the Headmaster may have been involved in some financial irregularities.”
The statement, from Glenwood High SGB chair, Rob Young went on to say,
” the Headmaster has denied any wrongdoing and in the interests of the preservation of school funds, the SGB resolved to engage the services of external auditors to carry out a forensic investigation to establish the true position.”
According to the statement, the major portion of the investigation was completed only this week, and having ascertained that some transactions may have been questionable, and acting on the advice of the auditors, the Governing Body authorized the auditors to present their case to the appropriate authorities.
“The Governing Body understands that criminal charges may have been laid and that the National Prosecuting Authority will now have to determine whether an indictment will follow. In addition the SGB has instructed Venns Attorneys to pursuer the auditors report to establish whether civil action would be appropriate to be instituted to recover any monies that may be due to it.
The statement concluded that the Governing Body was unable to comment on the sum of money involved or the Headmaster’s liability as well as any criminal investigation.
The statement came as a shock to parents, learners and Glenwood’s Old Boys on the School’s Facebook Page.
