Estate Officer of ITaukei Land Trust Board charged with two counts of bribery

The Nadi Magistrates Court has convicted a former Estate Officer of the ITaukei Land Trust Board for two counts of bribery.

Mesake Beranaliva was charged in 2013 by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption for two counts of Bribery.

It is alleged that Beranaliva, in May 2013, in the Western division while being a public servant namely an estate officer with the iLTB without lawful authority solicited and accepted an advantage of $300 on account of having performed an act in his capacity as a public servant namely showing the boundary pegs on a land to be leased by the iLTB to one Navinesh Naicker.

It is also alleged between May and June 2013, Beranaliva while being employed as a public servant without lawful authority solicited and accepted an advantage of $600.00 on account of having performed an act in his capacity as a public servant namely issuing an offer letter of a piece of land to be leased by the iLTB to Navinesh Naicker.

Beranaliva appeared before Magistrate Chandani Dias and was convicted accordingly for both the charges.

The sentencing will be delivered on 3 March 2017.

Bail has been extended for the accused.