Vava'u civil servants plead not guilty to fraud [1]
Thursday, April 5, 2018 - 17:40
Two civil servants working for the Ministry of Finance and National Planning have pleaded not guilty to fraud charges, at their arraignments at the Supreme Court in Neiafu on Wednesday, April 4.
Lesieli Halafihi (35) of Fungamisi is charged with serious fraudulent conversion by a government servant and falsification of accounts.
It is alleged that as cashier she had fraudulently converted over $70,000 pa’anga and made false entries on cashbooks.
Her co-accused Viliami Latu of Talau is charged with falsification of accounts and simple fraudulent conversion by a government servant.
As a senior accounting officer, he is alleged to have also made false entries and fraudulently converted over $1,000 pa'anga.
The offences are alleged to have taken place from June 2016 to September 2017.
Both accused who appeared before Hon Mr Justice Cato will be tried in the next Supreme Court circuit visit to the outer island later this year. They both worked at the Ministry's Sub-Treasury in Neiafu.