The couple who had pleaded guilty to defrauding the National Commercial Bank(NCB) of $15 million was sentenced to 30 months' imprisonment in The Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Carol Ferguson, who is a former employee of the bank, and her common-law husband, Victor Stewart, both pleaded guilty to charges of money laundering, conspiracy to defraud, obtaining money by false pretence, causing bank to pay out money by false pretence, uttering forged documents and forgery.

Before sentencing, Ferguson asked Senior Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey if she could order that certain things which were confiscated from her house by the Organised Crime Division be returned to her father for safekeeping.

However, RM Pusey advised that the documents must remain with the police until, if and when Ferguson is released from prison.

Ferguson also asked if her passport could be returned which led RM Pusey to ask,"why? You don't need it where you are going."

Both were arrested and charged last year after the bank uncovered massive fraud in its accounts.

Police investigations reveal that from September 2009 to November last year, Ferguson unlawfully used her access to the bank's internal systems and created illegitimate invoices for catering services.

The cheques were made payable to Stewart.

However, the bank discovered the racket in November last year and conducted an audit which revealed that it was making payments to fake catering services amounting to millions of dollars.

Subsequently, both were arrested and charged.