A former tax investigator and auditor with the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service was sentenced to 17 months imprisonment today.

Jone Vula was charged by FICAC with one count of Bribery in 2014.

He admitted to accepting $500.00 from an entrepreneur at the Suva Market who he was investigating for business returns and had promised to issue a tax clearance letter upon receiving the above amount.

In reading out the sentence, the Magistrate stated that the act of bribery should be viewed as damaging and serious with grave implications on the trust and confidence of public service of this country.

Furthermore, the Magistrate said that the offence committed by the Accused was not a mere technical breach of the law, but was committed after planning and preparation and that good character could not be relied upon to evade the criminal responsibility of his conduct.

The Magistrate ruled that five months would be served in prison and the remaining 12 months to be suspended for two years.