Four people, who were allegedly involved in an illegal operation to obtain funds from the Fiji National Provident Fund, appeared in the Magistrates Court in Suva yesterday.

Former FNPF employee Jack Edward Hiramatsu, 41, has been charged with five counts of forgery for allegedly forging various legal documents pertaining to the purchase of land.

A former employee of iTaukei Lands Trust Board, Adi Mara Rufina Qaranivalu, 32, has been charged with one count of forgery for allegedly forging a certificate of Title.

High school teacher Seini Pece Tadulala, 32, has been charged with one count each of using forged document and obtaining financial advantage by deception for allegedly obtaining $7300 from FNPF using forged documents.

Naval officer Melisateki Sara, 40, has been charged with one count each of using forged document and of obtaining financial advantage by deception for allegedly obtaining $30,200 from FNPF using forged documents. They appeared before Magistrate Deepika Prakash.

The alleged offences took place between June 6 and June 11, 2019, where Qaranivalu is alleged to have given a certificate of title to Hiramatsu after tampering with the said document knowing very well that he will use the said title for the withdrawal of funds from FNPF.

Hiramatsu allegedly altered the title and lodged the same together with other forged documents at FNPF to assume that Tadulala and Sara are prospective buyers of the property.

Tadulala and Sara then allegedly submitted their original Urban Housing Assistance withdrawal forms to Hiramatsu with the intention of inducing FNPF officials to accept it as genuine and upon its acceptance, to dishonestly obtain a gain to the total amount of $37,500 which was released from their FNPF accounts.

The money was allegedly shared among all the accused persons.

Hiramatsu and Sara were represented by duty solicitor Krisheel Chang. Qaranivalu was represented by private lawyer Mathew Young and Sara was represented by private lawyer Savenaca Komaisavai.

Police prosecutor Constable Walter Taito had served the court and the accused persons with full phase disclosures. He also objected bail for Hiramatsu and Qaranivalu on the grounds that the two accused persons were also facing charges in another matter of the same nature.

Magistrate Prakash had granted bail to Qaranivalu, Sara and Tadulala, however, she remanded Hiramatsu at the Totogo Police Station to find two suitable sureties.

Qaranivalu, Sara and Tadulala were granted bail on the sum of $1000 each. Their sureties were also ordered to sign a bail bond in the sum of $1000 each.

Magistrate Prakash ordered Qaranivalu, Sara and Tadulala not to re-offend while on bail, not to interfere with any of the prosecution witnesses, reside at the addresses provided to the court and not to change the address without the permission from the court.

Qaranivalu and Tadulala were ordered to report to the Nausori Police Station while Sara was ordered to report to the Nabua Police Station once a week.

They were ordered to surrender their passports and all travel documents. A stop departure order was also issued against all accused persons.

The matter was adjourned for Qaranivalu, Sara and Tadulala to take their plea on September 11.

A production order was issued for Hiramatsu to appear in court this morning for his bail conditions and sureties.

Edited by Percy Kean

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