Former i-Taukei Land Trust Board Senior Estate Officer, Inosi Tauvoli has been sentenced to two years for corruption with a non-parole period of 20 months.
Lautoka High Court Judge Justice Aruna Aluthge found Tauvoli guilty of three counts of abuse of office.
While being employed at TLTB, Tauvoli processed and approved four land lease applications belonging to three Chinese nationals, without following the relevant policies.
Justice Aluthge says despite Tauvoli being the sole breadwinner in his family, with no previous convictions, the offence is deemed serious.
He says people in high offices who abuse their power should be required to serve an immediate prison sentence.
Justice Aluthge adds that the Courts have emphasized the increasing prevalence of this offence in the community which calls for deterrent sentences.
The former i-Taukei Land Trust Board Senior Estate Officer was sentenced to three years imprisonment whereby a period of one year has been suspended.
He has 30 days to appeal.
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