A former court officer convicted of providing false information to a Land Transport Officer and also mishandling public funds has been sentenced to 25 months in jail.
Isoa Matanitobua, 43, now a legal practitioner based in Suva, was earlier this year found guilty of more than 10 charges, including giving false information to a public servant and general dishonesty which caused a loss, in a series of incidents that occurred between 2015 and 2016.
The prosecution proved in court that Matanitobua, while working as the officer in charge at the Sigatoka Magistrate’s Court, provided false information to a LTA licensing officer without getting a proper search conducted, and requesting staff to sign letters without the proper search procedure being completed.
According to the ruling, the married father-of-three was fully aware that the information he was giving were false and would be relied upon by LTA to update the records of Praveenesh Goundar, Vanavasa Limaivatu, Mohammed Shafeem, Sailosi Bara, and Misiwata Nakere concerning the TINs or traffic fines issued against them.
As a result of this, LTA issued the men with renewed driver’s licences they were not entitled to.
It was also proved that Matanitobua received and did not declare the $1616.50 received from the men.
Matanitobua, who was admitted to the bar in 2022, has had his practicing certificate suspended.
The court imposed a 25-month jail term for each count to be served concurrently.
