Suliasi Lau, a former assistant provincial treasurer at the Kadavu Provincial Council, has claimed to have fully repaid the $5,780 he gained through fraudulent activities. This statement was made by Lau’s lawyer during mitigation submissions before Magistrate Aisea Paka. However, prosecutor Joshua Francis Prasad from the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) raised concerns about the validity of this claim, noting the lack of documentary evidence to support it.
Lau, 44, had previously entered a guilty plea to seven counts of obtaining a financial advantage and four counts of falsifying documents. His offenses, which occurred between June and July of 2019, involved accepting cash payments intended as provincial levies from four Kadavu villages but failing to deposit the money into the council’s account. Instead, he took $4,580 for personal use and misappropriated an additional $1,200 meant for allowances for three village headmen by forging their signatures on payment vouchers.
During the court discussions, Mr. Prasad emphasized that any restitution should not be regarded as a late attempt to mitigate Lau’s actions in the sentencing phase. The court has instructed the defense to submit receipts verifying the repayment to the court registry, warning that failure to do so would lead to the dismissal of the mitigation arguments concerning restitution.
Lau expressed remorse for his conduct and is hoping for a non-custodial sentence as he remains in custody, awaiting sentencing scheduled for March 12. This case highlights the ongoing issue of financial integrity in public office, underscoring the critical need for accountability and robust oversight in government financial dealings. The resolution of such cases serves as a reminder of the importance of trust in public administration and the measures needed to ensure that such breaches do not recur in the future.