A FORMER assistant provincial treasurer at the Kadavu Provincial Council, who was convicted on several counts of obtaining a financial advantage and falsifying documents, has claimed to have fully repaid the $5780 he dishonestly obtained.
Suliasi Lau’s lawyer made the claim while presenting his mitigation submissions before Magistrate Aisea Paka yesterday.
However, when asked to confirm this, FICAC prosecutor Joshua Francis Prasad said the claim cannot be verified as there is no documentary evidence to support it.
Lau, 44, had pleaded guilty to seven counts of obtaining a financial advantage and four counts of falsification of documents in the Magistrate’s Court during one of its sittings in Kadavu last year.
Records show that between June and July of 2019, Lau received cash payments, which were collected and/or received as provincial levies from four villages in Kadavu.
He failed to deposit the cash into the council’s account and took $4580 for himself.
In May 2019, Lau misappropriated $1200, the allowance of three turaga ni koro (village headman). He also dishonestly falsified payment vouchers of the council by forging the signatures of the three village headmen.
Mr Prasad argued in court that even if restitution had been made, “it should not be treated as an afterthought”.
The court has directed the defence to file all receipts confirming payment of restitution with the court registry, failing which, the mitigation advanced on restitution will not be considered during sentencing.
The court heard Lau is remorseful for his actions and seeks a non-custodial sentence.
He is further remanded in custody as he awaits sentencing on March 12.
