Court

Former statistician sentenced

February 12, 2019 10:45 am

Kelera Nokelevu

The former acting Field Statistician of the Fiji Bureau of Statistics has received a suspended sentence from the Suva Magistrates Court.

Kelera Nokelevu was sentenced to two years imprisonment with two months to be served in prison and the remaining 22 months suspended for two years.

She was charged by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption last October with one count each of Obtaining a Financial Advantage and Using Forged Document and pleaded guilty to both offenses.

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The Accused was found to have forged 11 receipts pertaining to the hiring of a Rural Service Licensed vehicle and a taxi, along with the fake signatures of the supposed drivers.

These fake receipts were then presented to the Chief Statistician who thought they were genuine and so approved it, enabling her to acquire $1,588.00 FJD from November to December 2015.

In delivering the Sentence, Chief Magistrate said that a deterrent sentence was recommended as she defrauded the State and breached the trust given to her as an employee and civil servant.

She has 28 days to Appeal.