The fate of corruption perpetrators was the main issue that caught the attention of the staff of the Strategic Framework for Change Coordinating Office (SFCCO) on Monday.

This came about as the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) carried out an awareness session before the Assistant Deputy Secretary, the Directors and Principal Administrative officers of the SFCCO at the Parliament House.

FICAC's Community Relations and Corruption Prevention Department informed the SFCCO staff that FICAC had closed 44 cases in the Courts of which 35 led to successful convictions.

The awareness session also highlighted that for an offence under Prevention of Bribery Promulgation, the penalty provided in the promulgation would range from 3 to 10 years and a fine up to $100,000.00.

The SFCCO staff was told that any public officer that maintains a standard of living above what is proportionate to his/her wages or emoluments or posses property also disproportionate to his/her present or past wages or salary can be asked by a Court of Law to give a satisfactory explanation as to how he/she was able to maintain such a standard of living and how he/she came to posses such items.

It was also reiterated that a prevalence of corruption saw the establishment of FICAC in the first place.

The Community Relations and Corruption Prevention Department is actively working to educate the public on the evils of corruption and FICAC was pleased that the awareness session has brought about a positive enquiry that will spawn towards an anti-corruption Fiji.