Mohammed Ifraz.

A former Project Technical Officer with the Ministry of Health has been sentenced to 17 months imprisonment by the Suva Magistrates Court today.

Mohammed Ifraz was charged by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption in February with one count each of Forgery and Using Forged Document.

Ifraz made false documents namely, certificates from the Fiji Institute of Technology and Fiji National University, and attempted to use them to gain employment with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.

In delivering the Sentence, the Resident Magistrate said that the offences committed were a serious breach of trust by an employee against his employer.

He was told no person would be recruited to the civil service if he had no good character.

The Magistrates adds that the MOH, as a government institute, is extremely important to Fiji as a nation, especially during a period of pandemic and that people who work in these state institutions are expected to be honest and hardworking.

He stated that the court is entrusted with the duty of upholding the public confidence in the system of administration of justice and that serious offences were committed which should not be treated leniently and needed to be a clear message to any would-be offenders.

Of the 17-month sentence, Ifraz will spend five months in jail with the remaining 12 months suspended for five years.