A woman who stole $1000 from her employer was discharged without conviction by the Suva Magistrate’s Court yesterday because of police inaction on her 2021 complaint that she was being blackmailed.
The third-year university student, who pleaded guilty to a count of theft, broke down yesterday as she explained the reason she stole the money in 2025.
She explained that an unknown man had been sending messages on her smart phone threatening to leak videos and photos of her with other personal information.
The young woman said that when she reported the matter to the police, she was advised to change her phone number. However, she said, the unknown man obtained her new number and continued to contact her.
She said she then filed a complaint with the Police Internal Affairs division about the lack of action by the police.
Magistrate Yogesh Prasad said the matter was serious because the woman’s life and future were in jeopardy. The victim’s mother told the court her daughter is receiving treatment at the St Giles Psychiatric Hospital in Suva after attempting to commit suicide.
Mr Prasad asked the police prosecutor to look into the woman’s situation regarding the online messages.
After hearing from both the young woman and her mother, the magistrate said he found what they said to be credible.
The court also heard that the stolen cash had been fully recovered and that the accused asked not to be convicted. After counselling the woman, Mr Prasad decided not to record a conviction and closed her file.
