A FORMER Glasgow councillor accused of embezzling from an organisation she worked for asked a colleague to return a bag with around £2,000 in it, a court heard.
Maureen Burke, 60, who was employed as Yvonne Kucuk’s personal assistant at the People’s Development Trust (PDT), said they had been out for a lunch with colleagues during a time when Kucuk was suspended.
She said that as they left, Kucuk, 51, asked her to return a bag that had paperwork, a mobile phone and some money in it.
Mrs Burke said she felt “a bit uneasy” and claimed Kucuk told her she couldn’t hand it in because she was going on holiday the next day.
The Labour councillor said she gave the bag to the then-manager of the trust Michael Kennedy, who counted around £2,000 in it.
She was giving evidence at the Glasgow Sheriff Court trial of Kucuk, from Calton, and William Faulds, 55, from Dalmarnock, who are accused of embezzling £8,690 between January 2015 and January 2016 from the trust.
The court heard Kucuk was in charge of the PDT, which provides facilities and services to the local area of Dalmarnock -including numeracy and literacy classes - and Faulds was project manager.
The organisation was based in Baltic Street, Bridgeton, before it moved to nearby Springfield Road. to what’s known as the Legacy Hub., as part of regenerating the area.
In evidence the court was told various cheque stubs made out to “cash” were found but that there was no corresponding receipts or paperwork.
And, that during an investigation, Kucuk claimed the cash was used to pay a tutor for adult classes, and a gala day.
In evidence, Mrs Burke said she worked for the organisation for around two years.
She said that over the few months that the move between the two offices took place, the business was “chaotic”.
She was shown a canvas bag and confirmed that in April 2016, she had been given it by Kucuk.
Procurator fiscal depute Angus Crawford asked: “Can you tell us in what circumstances that bag came in to your possession?”
Mrs Burke replied: “I can remember being out for something to eat then leaving to go home and making our way to the car park and I was asked by Yvonne if I could take this bag and hand it in to the legacy hub to the manager then, Michael Kennedy.”
She said Kucuk told her there was belongings of the hub that had to be given back including a mobile phone, papers and some money.
Mrs Burke added: “I did feel a bit uneasy about it but Yvonne was going on holiday the next day and I felt a bit obligated to take it.”
She told how she took the bag home but didn’t look in it and returned it to Kennedy.
The witness said Mr Kennedy took the items out of the bag in front of her and counted the money that amounted to around £2,000.
Kucuk’s defence lawyer Brian Cooney asked Mrs Burke if Kucuk was someone she trusted and she replied: “Yes.”
Kucuk and Faulds deny the charge and the trial before sheriff Mary McCrory continues next month.
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