More People in FNPF Fraud Case in Court
Four more people with former employees of the Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) and the iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB) for another case of alleged fraud against the Fiji National Provident Fund appeared at the Magistrates Court in Suva yesterday.
Former FNPF employee Jack Edward Hiramatsu, 41, Former clerk of TLTB Adi Mara Rufina Qaranivalu, 32, Security officer, Mosese Tikotikoca, 45, customer service officer Asenaca Salusalu, 40, Naval officer, Mataiasi Toa Masilaca, 35, and technician Jiuta Tukuna, 43, appeared before Magistrate Geethani Wijesinghe.
The six accused persons are alleged to have colluded to use forged Certificate of Titles to withdraw more than $31,000 from four of the accused persons FNPF accounts.
The alleged incident took place between June 7 and June 24, this year.
The charges:
Hiramatsu has been charged with five counts of forgery for allegedly forging various legal documents pertaining to the purchase of land. Qaranivalu has been charged with one count of Forgery for allegedly forging Certificate of Title No. 19762. Tikotikoca has been charged with one count of using forged documents and one count of obtaining financial advantage by deception for allegedly obtaining $5,600 from the FNPF using forged documents. Salusalu has been charged with one count of using forged documents and one count of obtaining financial advantage by deception for allegedly obtaining $3,000 from the FNPF using forged documents. Masilaca has been charged with one count of using forged documents and one count of obtaining financial advantage by deception for allegedly obtaining $10,300 from the FNPF using forged documents.
Tukuna has been charged with one count of using forged documents and one count of obtaining financial advantage by deception for allegedly obtaining $12,200 from the FNPF using forged documents.
Police prosecutor Corporal Kalara Neisamu had filed full phase Disclosures to the court and the accused persons.
She did not object to the bail for Tikotikoca, Salusalu, Masilaca, and Tukuna, however, she sought for strict bail conditions.
She, however, did object to the bail of Hiramatsu and Qaranivalu, on the grounds that the two accused persons have been interviewed and will be charged for similar offences.
Defence lawyer for Qaranivalu, Tikotikoca, Salusalu, Masilaca, and Tukuna, told the court that the accused persons should be granted bail on the grounds that they were only interviewed and the charges were yet to be laid against them.
He sought the court’s liberty to grant bail to his clients. Magistrate Wijesinghe remanded Hiramatsu at the Suva Remand Centre and Qaranivalu at the Women’s Prison.
She granted bail to Tikotikoca, Salusalu, Masilaca, and Tukuna on cash bail of $200 each and bail bond in the sum of $2000 each. Their sureties were also ordered to sign a $2000 bail bond each. Magistrate Wijesinghe ordered Tikotikoca, Salusalu, Masilaca, and Tukuna not to reoffend while on bail or else their bail would be revoked, not to change their residential addresses without the court’s permission, not to leave Viti Levu without the court’s permission, and to surrender their passports and travel documents. She also issued a stop departure order against Tikotikoca, Salusalu, Masilaca, and Tukuna.
The matter was adjourned for Tikotikoca, Salusalu, Masilaca, and Tukuna to take their plea on August 30.
Magistrate Wijesinghe issued a production order for Hiramatsu and Qaranivalu to appear before her on Monday (August 19).