Forgeries Will Be Reported To Police, FICAC, TLTB Tells

“At TLTB, we have found out that letters brought into our office which has signatures are signed on behalf of the person’s parents, siblings or cousins”

Forging signatures on legal documents is a crime and locals should avoid doing so, says North iTaukei Land Trust Board manager Josaia Waqairatu. Mr Waqairatu said a person involved

At TLTB, we have found out that letters brought into our office which has signatures are signed on behalf of the person’s parents, siblings or cousins.

“This letter is not received by the board; you should refrain from forgery as it is listed as a crime,” he said.

Mr Waqairatu said several different methods can be used to forge signatures.

He said all forged documents received are reported to Police and the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC).

“Copies, studio replicas, and reproductions are not considered forgeries, though they may later become forgeries through knowing and willful misrepresentations,” he said.

“One method is the “freehand method”, whereby the forger, after careful practice, replicates the signature by freehand. Although a difficult method to perfect, this often produces the most convincing results.

“In the “trace-over method”, the sheet of paper containing the genuine signature is placed on top of the paper where the forgery is required. The signature is traced over, appearing as a faint indentation on the sheet of paper underneath.

“A number of characteristics can suggest to us that a signature has been forged, mostly stemming from the forger focusing on accuracy rather than fluency. These include shaky handwritings, pen lifts and very close similarity between two or more signatures.”

Mr Waqairatu urged landowners to refrain from relying on oral agreements when dealing with the use of their land.

He said landowners needed to formalise leases to protect their interests.

“Conflicts on land agreements not formalised by TLTB, would only be resolved in a court of law,” he said. “But with those leases formalised under TLTB, we can represent the interests of the landowners in cases of conflicts or other complications,” he said.