A former employee of the iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB) has been sentenced to two (2) years imprisonment by the Lautoka High Court this afternoon for corruption-related offences.
40-year-old Inosi Tauvoli, a former Senior Estate Officer had been convicted on three (3) counts of Abuse of Office (not for gain).
Whilst employed at TLTB, Mr. Tauvoli processed and approved four (4) land lease applications belonging to three (3) Chinese individuals, without following the relevant policies.
In delivering the sentence, Justice Aruna Aluthge says despite Mr. Tauvoli being the sole breadwinner in his family with no previous convictions, the offence of Abuse of Office is deemed serious, especially when public institutions are usually the target of fraud and malpractices.
Justice Aluthge says the people in high offices who abuse their power should be required to serve an immediate prison sentence.
He adds that the Courts have emphasized that the increasing prevalence of this offence in our community calls for deterrent sentences.
Justice Aluthge says that the purpose of Mr. Tauvoli’s punishment is to condemn his actions and to deter others with similar impulses.
Mr. Tauvoli has been sentenced to three (3) years imprisonment.
Therefore Mr. Tauvoli will serve only two (2) years in prison and the remainder of one year is suspended for three years.
He is not eligible for parole until he has served twenty (20) months in the correction facility.
Mr. Tauvoli has 30 days to appeal.
Mr. Tauvoli was represented by defence counsel, Ms. Amele Tubuitamana of Niudamu Lawyers while the prosecution was represented by Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) Senior State Counsel, Ms Arieta Vaganalau.