The Labasa Magistrates Court yesterday handed down suspended sentences to three individuals convicted of breaching the Electoral Act.
Resident Magistrate Senileba Levaci sentenced Ritesh Dayal and Sanju Sharma to eighteen months imprisonment and Sukh Singh received a sentence of fifteen months imprisonment.
All sentences are suspended for two years.
The three are also required to pay a fine of $200 within thirty days or face an extra twenty days in prison.
The Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption charged Dayal and Sharma with one count each of Contravention of Campaign Rules for preventing the display of a FijiFirst poster, while Singh was charged with Aiding and Abetting the two accused in 2014.
The three also received an alternative third count of Non Interference in Campaign as their actions hindered lawful campaign activity.
In her ruling, Magistrate Levaci said that the Court strongly denounced these forms of offences and that Electoral laws are implemented to ensure proper procedures are followed not just by election candidates but also by the public.
