$4m thief appeals 23-year sentence

A $4 million thief who is serving 23 years in jail for corrupt-related offences, has appealed against his sentence.

Viliame Katia appeared before Fiji Court of Appeal Justice Chandana Prematilaka.

He is appealing his 23 years imprisonment with a non-parole period of 22 years sentence on two grounds claiming that the learned Judge erred in law when he was sentenced to a term of imprisonment, which is harsh and excessive and that he failed to take into consideration the case authorities provided; that the learned Judge erred in law when he failed to follow the principle of sentencing in Veresa v State AAU 101/13.

Katia was charged by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) with three counts of abuse of office for gain, four counts of forgery, one count of embezzlement by servant, one count of giving false information to public servant, one count of unauthorised modification of data and one count of obtaining financial advantage amounting to more than $4 million.

Justice Prematilaka adjourned the matter and set November 20 for leave to appeal hearing.