News

Former bank teller gets reduced sentence

November 19, 2012 12:12 am

A former bank teller who stole over $4,000 from clients has had her sentence almost halved following an appeal in the court.

Mereoni Naitu pleaded guilty to two counts of larceny by servant for stealing $2,380 and $2,627 and was jailed for 42 months.

Naitu will now serve a 14 month prison term.

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She appealed against the sentencing saying she co-operated fully with Police, was remorseful and had offered to make restitution through a repayment scheme which was never advised to the court.

According to court facts Naitu was responsible for assisting customers withdraw funds from the FNPF after approval.

FNPF maintains a disbursement account with the bank which allows members who don’t have a bank account withdraw funds directly from the bank.

Naitu made two withdrawals from that account by posing as an FNPF customer who had already been received funds.

She then used the money for her own personal use.

Judge Justice Paul Madigan reduced her sentence to fourteen months imprisonment after taking into account her grounds of appeal, early guilty plea and that she was a first offender.