Afrana Nisha, a former secretary of the Independent Legal Services Commission (ILSC), has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of cheque fraud exceeding $10,000. The sentencing occurred today in the Suva Magistrates Court, marking a significant outcome in a case that exposed serious misconduct within public service.
Nisha was charged with multiple offenses, which included seven counts of document falsification and two counts of obtaining a financial advantage. Evidence presented during the trial revealed that between July 2012 and November 2014, she engaged in deceptive practices by forging signatures of prominent legal figures, including former Solicitor General Sharvada Sharma and lawyer Ana Tuiketei, on various cheques. In her scheme, she attempted to enrich herself by including her name and that of ILSC Commissioner Paul Madigan as payees.
A particularly striking instance of her fraudulent behavior involved a forged cheque for $3,450, which was made payable to Tuiketei. Nisha directed an ILSC receptionist to cash this cheque and requested that the funds be handed over to her. The presiding magistrate noted the serious betrayal of trust involved in her actions and stated that Nisha’s deceitful conduct resulted in her illicitly acquiring more than $10,000 from the ILSC during the two-year span.
The court’s decision highlighted the critical need for accountability and integrity among public officials tasked with the management of financial resources. Nisha will serve a five-year prison sentence, with a non-parole period set at four years. This case serves as a cautionary tale about the ramifications of financial misdeeds in public office and reinforces the importance of upholding ethical standards in government roles. As society looks to its leaders, it is essential to foster a culture of integrity to prevent such breaches from occurring in the future.