The Suva Magistrates Court has ruled that former Independent Legal Services Commission (ILSC) secretary Afrana Nisha has a case to answer in relation to corruption charges involving over $27,000, including allegations of forging the signature of the then Solicitor-General Sharvada Sharma.
Ms Nisha is charged with seven counts of Falsification of Documents and three counts of Obtaining a Financial Advantage.
The alleged offences occurred between July 2012 and November 2014, during her time at the ILSC.
It is alleged that she falsified several cheques by forging the signatures of former Solicitor-General Mr. Sharma and lawyer Ana Tuiketei, listing herself and former ILSC counsel Paul Madigan as payees.
One such cheque, allegedly falsified for the amount of $2,537.44, was cashed by another individual at her direction.
According to the prosecution, Ms. Nisha instructed Vandana Raj to cash the cheque and hand over the funds to her. Ms. Raj confirmed this version of events under oath, stating she acted on Nisha’s instructions and returned all proceeds.
Resident Magistrate Shageeth Somaratne ruled on the defence’s no-case-to-answer application, finding that there is credible evidence on all 10 charges for the case to proceed.
Mr. Sharma, Ms. Tuiketei, and Mr. Madigan each gave sworn testimony for the prosecution, all denying any knowledge of or benefit from the cheques allegedly issued in their names,” Magistrate Somaratne noted.
The court also reviewed bank records, which confirmed that the money had been withdrawn from the ILSC account.
With the court dismissing the defence’s application, the matter will now proceed to a full trial.
