The driver of a senior official at the Ministry of Health and Medical Services charged with five counts of vaccination card fraud related offences, appeared in court yesterday.

Livai Caginavanua Tuvuki was refused bail by Suva Magistrate Liyanage Wickramase.

He is charged with theft, giving false information to a public servant, being in possession of forged documents and also issuing forged documents.

It is alleged that between 2021 to February 2022, Tuvuki issued curfew passes, vaccination cards and sick sheets without the ministry’s authorisation.

He allegedly stole two Ministry of Health rubber stamps and stamp pad and gave false information to a health staff in order to obtain a sick sheet book under the senior official’s name.

He was also allegedly found in possession of a forged vaccination card for a 55-year-old Nadera man who was also produced in court yesterday and two curfew passes issued in January, 2022.

Police Prosecutor Sergeant Luke Qerawaqa did not object to bail, however, requested if two suitable sureties could be provided.

Tuvuki’s sureties were rejected by the court as they were younger then him.

He has to pay $300 cash bail and $2000 personal bail bond before he can be released on bail.

He is expected to reappear in court today.

Meanwhile, 55-year-old Nadera resident, Sairusi Ratusiga, also appeared in court charged with being in possession of a fake vaccination card under his name when in actual fact he was not at any time vaccinated.

Ratusiga was served with full phase disclosures, waived his right to counsel and chose to be tried in the magistrate’s court.

Prosecution did not object to bail as he was a first offender who had no history of absconding bail.

He was released on a $1000 personal bail bond with standard bail conditions and ordered to surrender all his travel documents by close of business today.

His case has been adjourned to April 20, 2022, for plea.