A former clerk of the National Commercial Bank (NCB), who pleaded guilty to stealing more than $1 million, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment at hard labour, suspended for 18 months.

Opal Martin was sentenced when she appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.

Martin, who was charged with falsifying accounts and larceny as a servant, pleaded guilty at a previous court hearing.

transferred money

Allegations are that Martin was employed to the NCB branch in Half-Way Tree with duties to collect loan fees from clients and make cash and debit entries. She allegedly collected money from accounts other than those she was instructed to take from, and transferred them to her personal account during the period in question.

The court was told that between the period January 2006 to November 2007, she stole $1,085,000. Her attorney told the court at Wednesday's hearing that she was a single mother and she was very sorry about what had happened. Her attorney also said they could provide several character witnesses who could speak to the good character of her client. The attorney added that what had happened was a mistake and it would not happen again.