Court grants bail to former senior court officer who allegedly accepted phone as a bribe

The Suva Magistrates Court has granted bail to a former senior court officer at the Small Claims Tribunal who is charged with bribery for allegedly accepting a mobile phone.

Ilovi Talei Colati was produced in the Suva Magistrates Court yesterday afternoon charged by the FICAC with one count of bribery.

It is alleged that between 1st November 2020 and 20th November 2020, Colati while being a public servant employed as a senior court officer at the Small Claims Tribunal in Suva, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, accepted an advantage in the form of a Samsung Galaxy A12 mobile phone, on account of performing any act in her capacity as a public servant.

FICAC lawyer Josann Pene informed the court that the first phase of disclosures have been served.

Magistrate Jeremaia Savou granted a non-cash bail of $500 and ordered Colati not to re-offend while on bail.

Colati has been ordered not to interfere with prosecution witnesses and not to change her residential address without first informing the court.

She has also been ordered to report to the FICAC office once a month commencing from 29th December 2023.

The matter has been adjourned to 5th February, 2024.