Former McDonald’s employee gets ten years behind bars for spitting in McFlurry

A former McDonald’s employee has been sentenced to ten years in jail for extortion and malicious damages to property after spitting into an ice cream product of the fast food chain.

Clement Othusitse Seothaeng (27) appeared in the Pretoria North Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

He was given 10 years for extortion and 5 years for malicious damages to property with the magistrate ordering that the sentences run concurrently.

Seothaeng, originally from Pampierstad in Northern Cape Province was working at McDonald’s restaurant in Montana, as a crew member for two years.

On 23 September 2017, while at work at MacDonalds, Seothaeng recorded himself in a 20-second video clip with his phone preparing a Mcflurry ice cream without showing his face, just a person wearing a uniform.

However, when preparing it, he spat inside the Mcflurry ice cream, mixed it and closed the cap. 

The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Lumka Mahanjana said after recording himself, Seothaeng sent the clip to the manager with a different number as a concerned customer demanding R150 000, to avoid the video circulation on social media.

“The Manager reported the matter to the police, immediately a trap was set up and Seothaeng was arrested a few days later on 29 September 2017.  During the aggravation of the sentence, Prosecutor, David Molokomme asked the court to impose a sentence that will serve as a deterrent to people who use social media for anti-social behaviour for undue benefits.”

The NPA has welcomed the sentence.

Staying with the courts, the Walter Sisulu University student who was convicted of the theft of National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funds has been sentenced to five years in jail.

Magistrates Twanette Olivier handed down sentencing on Wednesday.

Sibongile Mani was found guilty of theft on 7 February after she used R818 000 of the R14 million that was accidentally deposited into her student account on 1 June 2017.

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