Former employee of Post Fiji Limited jailed for 5-yrs on charges relating to theft and arson

The Labasa High Court has sentenced a former employee of Post Fiji Limited to 5 years imprisonment on charges relating to theft and arson.                                           

38-year-old Artika Anjani was convicted of one count of theft of $43,000 from Post Fiji Ltd in September 2016 and one count of arson of the Post Fiji building in Seaqaqa on the 14th of September 2016.

It was heard in court that Anjani was the Post Mistress and sole employee of Post Fiji in Seaqaqa when she fell victim to an online scam in which she was promised a loan of $150,000 if she paid a deposit and fees of $50,000 to a Fijian agent of the fraudster.

The court heard that the fraudster was said to be in France but bogus documents provided to her suggested that the scam originated in Africa.

The court also heard that not having $50,000 of her own money to use as fees she used $43,000 belonging to Post Fiji without the authority of Post Fiji, while the company knew she was holding that amount of money which was supposed to be sent to the Labasa Regional Head Office.

The court heard that on September 14th when her superiors made the final demand for the $43,000 she was holding, the Seaqaqa Post Fiji building was burnt to the ground.

It was heard in court that Anjani admitted to both separate counts of theft and arson.

She was sentenced to 4 years imprisonment for theft and 5 years for arson, and both sentences will be served concurrently.

The woman has to serve 3 years before she is eligible for parole.