A former school teacher Litiana Taoi convicted of one count of general dishonesty obtaining a gain has been given a partial suspended sentence by the Suva Magistrates court.
Taoi has been sentenced to 17 months and 24 days imprisonment however, will only serve one month in prison while the remaining 16 months and 24 days sentence has been suspended for three years.
The court heard between January 2011 and January 2012, the 59-year -old unlawfully received salary amounting to $18,496.94 from the Ministry of Education knowing she had resigned and was not eligible to receive salary.
She had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Magistrate Usaia Ratuvili said the custodial portion of the sentence is to deter likeminded offenders and send a message that such offence will not be condoned.
Magistrate Ratuvili adds the remainder of the sentence will be served in the community to enable her to rehabilitate herself.
