Court

More suspects appear in court for alleged FNPF scam

August 15, 2019 5:00 pm

A former employee of Fiji National Provident Fund and three others who allegedly defrauded the fund and obtained over $30, 000 appeared in the Suva Magistrates Court this afternoon.

The first accused – Jack Edward Hiramatsu a former FNPF employee has been charged with five counts of forgery for allegedly forging various legal documents pertaining to the purchase of land.

The second accused, Adi Mara Rufina Qaranivalu, a 32-year-old former iTLTB employee has been charged with one count of Forgery for allegedly forging a Certificate of Title.

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The third accused, a 40-year-old Naval Officer Melisateki Sara is charged with one count of using forged document and one and count of obtaining financial advantage by deception for allegedly obtaining $30,200 from FNPF using forged document.

The fourth accused Seini Pece Tadulala, a high school teacher is charged with one count of using a forged document and one count of Obtaining Financial Advantage by Deception.

The 32-year-old allegedly obtaining $7,300 from the FNPF using forged documents.

It’s alleged that the former iTLTB staff gave a Certificate of Title to the former FNPF employee after tampering with the said document, knowing that the 1st accused will use it to withdraw funds from the FNPF.

The former FNPF employee then allegedly altered the Title and lodged the same together with other forged documents – to assume that the 3rd and 4th accused are prospective buyers of the property.

The high school teacher and the Naval Officer then allegedly submitted Urban Housing Assistance withdrawal forms to the 1st accused.

It is alleged they tricked FNPF officials into accepting the documents as genuine and obtained $37,500 – released from their FNPF accounts.

The money was allegedly shared amongst all the accused persons.

The alleged offences took place between the 6th and 11th of June 2019. Qaranivalu, Sara and Tadulala have been granted bail on strict conditions while Hiramatsu has been remanded in custody at Totogo Police station to provide proper sureties.

It was indicated in the court that Hiramatsu could possibly face more charges.

Qaranivalu, Sara and Tadulala are expected to take their plea on 11th September.