Court

Six more face court in alleged FNPF fraud case

August 20, 2019 4:51 pm

Jack Edward Hiramatsu [left] and Adi Rufina Qaranivalu

Six more people appeared at the Suva Magistrates Court today for allegedly defrauding the FNPF of over fifty-nine thousand dollars.

This is the fourth alleged FNPF fraud case brought before the court in the last three weeks.

The total number of people charged in relation to this alleged scam now stands at twenty.

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Former employee of the Fiji National Provident Fund Jack Edward Hiramatsu and former clerk of i-Taukei Land Trust Board Adi Rufina Qaranivalu are now facing additional charges with six more people.

Hiramatsu is now charged with four more counts of forgery while Qaranivalu is charged with one count of forgery.

It is alleged that Hiramastu made a false valuation report while Qaranivalu made a false certificate of title to obtain a gain.

In the fourth alleged fraud case brought before the court this afternoon, Temo Tuilailai, Metuisela Laba, Eseta Nagata, Isoa Bukurau, Salote Waibure and Joana Yabakidrau are each charged with using the forged document.

It is alleged they used a forged certificate of title to induce team leader housing withdrawal at FNPF officer to accept it as genuine with the intent to receive over fifty-nine thousand dollars as a withdrawal for housing assistance.

The alleged fraud was detected after the Criminal Investigation Department’s Fraud Unit started to crack down on those allegedly involved in illegally obtaining funds from the FNPF.

The alleged incident occurred last month.

Hiramastu and Qaranivalu were not produced in court today however will be appearing at a later date.

The six other people were released on strict bail conditions.

They have been ordered not to re-offend and to report to their nearest police station.

The matter has been adjourned to next Friday.