Afrana Nisha, a former secretary of the Independent Legal Services Commission (ILSC), has been sentenced to five years in prison following her conviction on multiple corruption charges. Magistrate Shageeth Somaratne announced the sentence in court, establishing a non-parole period of four years for Nisha.
She faced a total of nine charges, including seven counts of Falsification of Documents and two counts of Obtaining a Financial Advantage. Nisha was acquitted of one charge concerning financial gain. The court heard evidence of her fraudulent activities, which occurred between July 2012 and November 2014. Notably, Nisha forged signatures belonging to former Solicitor-General Sharvada Sharma and lawyer Ana Tuiketei to create fake cheques.
In a striking example of her misconduct, Nisha fabricated a cheque for $3,450, designating Ms. Tuiketei as the payee. She directed an ILSC receptionist, Vandana Raj, to cash the cheque and hand over the money to her, demonstrating her blatant abuse of position for personal financial gain.
The prosecution, led by Joshua Francis Prasad, highlighted the seriousness of Nisha’s actions, while her defense attorney, Ruth Fa from Iqbal and Associates, argued her case. This ruling serves as a significant reminder of the commitment to uphold accountability and integrity within public institutions, emphasizing the necessity of addressing corruption in all its forms. With this decision, the judicial system aims to restore public confidence by ensuring that those who exploit their positions face appropriate consequences.