Former Court officer Isoa Matanitobua has been sentenced to 25 months in prison following his conviction on multiple counts of dishonesty and providing false information to a public servant. The sentencing took place at the Suva Magistrates Court after Matanitobua was found guilty of five counts of giving false information and five counts of general dishonesty that resulted in financial loss.
The incidents took place between January 5, 2015, and September 8, 2016, during which Matanitobua submitted inaccurate information to the Land Transport Authority concerning the payment of Traffic Infringement Notice fines for five individuals. He collected payments from these individuals but neglected to issue receipts or maintain records of the transactions. Instead, he later fabricated and signed letters falsely claiming that the fines had been paid, thereby allowing the individuals to renew their driver’s licenses without proper verification.
Resident Magistrate Shelyn Kiran emphasized the seriousness of Matanitobua’s actions, highlighting the misuse of public funds and the deliberate nature of the offenses, which constituted more than mere technical violations of the law. Matanitobua’s application for a non-conviction under Section 16(1) of the Sentencing and Penalties Act 2009 was denied by the magistrate.
Matanitobua received a 25-month sentence for each of the ten counts, with the terms set to run concurrently. He has been granted 28 days to file an appeal against the decision. This ruling reflects a commitment to upholding the integrity of public service and emphasizes the legal system’s stance against corruption and dishonesty.
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