The former chief executive officer of Post Fiji Pte Limited, Anirudha Bansod, has been sentenced to one year and six months in prison for abuse of office. The sentencing took place yesterday at the Suva Magistrate’s Court, overseen by Magistrate Yogesh Prasad.
Bansod was found guilty of submitting a false confidentiality and conflict of interest declaration during the tender process for the design, development, and implementation of the Post Fiji Mobile Application. The contract was awarded to TechnoBase IT Solutions PVT Limited, an Indian firm with which Bansod had personal connections.
During the trial, it was revealed that Bansod had communicated with a representative from TechnoBase IT Solutions via WhatsApp, sharing insider information that contributed to the company being awarded the contract for e-Wallet services.
Despite being a first-time offender and showing remorse, Bansod’s guilty plea came late in the Prosecutor’s case. Magistrate Prasad noted that Bansod’s actions undermined the integrity of government institutions, leading to the decision not to suspend the sentence.
Bansod has 28 days to file an appeal against the judgment at the High Court in Suva.