Praneeta Prakash 
A former secretary of the Independent Legal Services Commission has been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for cheque fraud totaling over $10,000.
Afrana Nisha was sentenced by the Suva Magistrates Court this morning.
Nisha was convicted of seven counts of falsification of documents and two counts of obtaining financial advantage.
The court heard that between July 2012 and November 2014, Nisha forged the signatures of former Solicitor General Sharvada Sharma and lawyer Ana Tuiketei on cheques.
She listed herself and ILSC Commissioner Paul Madigan as payees to obtain financial gain.
In one instance, Nisha forged a $3,450 cheque, naming Tuiketei as the payee, and instructed an ILSC receptionist, to cash it and return the proceeds to her.
The Suva Magistrate said that Nisha grossly breached the trust reposed in her and dishonestly obtained more than $10,000, the property of the ILSC over the period of 2012 and 2014.
The Magistrate said that public officers entrusted with managing public funds must remain aware of the long-term consequences of their decisions and actions.
Nisha will serve five years imprisonment with a non-parole period of four years.
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