Eight people who allegedly defrauded the fund and obtained over $49,000 were released on bail by the Suva Magistrates Court yesterday.

Jack Edward Hiramatsu, a former employee of FNPF’s legal department, Adi Mara Rufina Qaranivalu, conveyance clerk at I-Taukei Land Trust Board, Taniela Samutitoga– a travel agent, Milio Raiyawa technical assistant at Water Authority, Mereonie Drawe a receptionist at Sherani & Company, Vereti Sigavakarau Sawaqa, school teacher, Salote Caraqeti, and a student Temo Tuilailai appeared before Chief Magistrate Usaia Ratuvili.

The eight are charged with seventeen counts of forgery, obtaining financial advantage and using a forged document.

Hiramatsu is alleged to have used forged Certificate of Title documents provided by Qaranivalu a then iTLTB staff, and colluded with Samutitoga, a travel agent, to write the title under his name.

Qaranivalu is charged with one count of forgery while Samutitoga is charged with one count of obtaining financial advantage by deception.

Raiyawa, Drawe, Sawaqa, Caraqeti, and Tuilailai have been charged with one count each of using forged documents and one count each of obtaining financial advantage by deception as they allegedly posed as prospective buyers of the land written under Samutitoga.

The five allegedly submitted their original withdrawal Urban Housing Assistance Form with the intention of inducing Fiji National Provident Fund officials to accept it as genuine.

They then allegedly obtained $49,300 which all the accused persons allegedly shared.

The eight were granted bail with two sureties each.

They were ordered to surrender their passports and travel documents and were ordered not to obtain any travel documents. A stop departure has also been imposed.

The eight have been ordered to report to their nearest Police stations once a week between 8 am and 6 pm.

They were ordered not to re-offend, not to interfere with any of the prosecution witnesses, reside at a fixed address and not to change their address.

The matter has been adjourned on August 28th.

Meanwhile, more people will front court today in relation to this case.

Two of the accused are already facing charges in the first matter.