News

Former FSC Officer Jailed for Misusing Farmer Grant Funds

Posted by Media Team 07 July 2026

A former employee of the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) has been sentenced by the Labasa Magistrates Court after being convicted of one count of Obtaining a Financial Advantage and one count of Falsification of Documents.

Roneel Chand was charged by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC). He was convicted of one count of Obtaining a Financial Advantage and one count of Falsification of Documents.

Resident Magistrate Amelia Korodrau delivered the sentence on 6 July 2026 after finding Mr Chand guilty of one count of Obtaining a Financial Advantage and one count of Falsification of Documents.

The Court heard that Mr Chand was employed as a Section Team Leader with FSC in 2019 and was directly involved in the application, processing and assessment of sugar cane farmer grant applications.

The Court found that during this period, Mr Chand intentionally and dishonestly intercepted and converted to his personal use a grant cheque valued at $1,300 that was intended for a farmer.

The Court also found that he falsified work orders to facilitate fraudulent grant payments for non-existent farm work.

In delivering the sentence, Resident Magistrate Korodrau said the evidence, when viewed as a whole, established that Mr Chand used his knowledge of FSC procedures and his years of experience to manipulate the system, deceive sugar cane farmers, and obtain a financial benefit.

The Court noted that the maximum penalty for Obtaining a Financial Advantage is 10 years' imprisonment, with the accepted sentencing tariff ranging from two to four years.

For Falsification of Documents, the maximum penalty is seven years' imprisonment, with sentencing tariffs in breach of trust cases generally ranging from 18 months to 3 and a half years.

In mitigation, the Court considered that Mr Chand is a first-time offender, the sole breadwinner for his family of four, had expressed willingness to repay the $1,300, sought the Court's forgiveness, and had been affected by the 5-year delay in the proceedings.

However, the Court held that despite the amount not being substantial, the offending constituted a serious breach of trust.

Resident Magistrate Korodrau noted that the offending not only impacted FSC but also directly affected sugar cane farmers, who are particularly vulnerable and rely heavily on grant assistance.

The Court further stated that the primary objectives of the sentence were punishment and deterrence, with rehabilitation being of secondary consideration.

Given the seriousness of the offending, the Court found there was no justification for a wholly suspended sentence.

Taking into account the 5-year systemic delay, the Court exercised its discretion under section 18(3) of the Sentencing and Penalties Act 2009 and declined to impose a non-parole period.

Mr Chand was sentenced to 23 months' imprisonment for Count 1 and 18 months' imprisonment for Count 3, with both sentences to be served concurrently. The effective custodial sentence is therefore 23 months’ imprisonment.

The defence has 28 days to appeal the sentence.

Mr Chand was represented by Mr William Lomaloma of the Legal Aid Commission, while FICAC Counsel Mr Joshua Prasad appeared for the prosecution.