Former iTaukei Affairs Board Treasurer jailed

A former Assistant Treasurer with the iTaukei Affairs Board has been sentenced to 20 months imprisonment by the Labasa Magistrates Court.

Taniela Jerema was charged with a count each of Obtaining a Financial Advantage and Causing a Loss by FICAC in 2018.

FICAC says in January this year, he pleaded guilty and admitted to receiving payments and keeping it for himself, instead of depositing the payments into the respective Bua Provincial accounts.

The offences occurred from September 2016 to March 2017 involving $8,620.00 FJD.

In his sentence, Magistrate Bimsara Jagodage stressed that the message needed to be given to society that people or public servants who misuse public property or public funds have to expect immediate custodial sentences for their acts.

8 months of the sentence has been suspended.

This means Jerema will now serve 12 months in prison effective immediately with the remaining eight 8 months of the sentence suspended for two 2 years.