High Court Judge Justice Isikeli Mataitoga today sentenced Peli Kete and Pita Alifereti to three and four years imprisonment.

Pita Alifereti was sentenced to four years imprisonment for three counts of official corruption to be served concurrently and while sentencing him, Justice Mataitoga said that Alifereti could have been sentenced for a total of nine years, however he took into account that he is 60yrs old, a first offender and a good family man.

He sent Peli Kete to prison for three years and said that Kete cooperated with police during their investigations, is married with a young family and is a member of the Nakasi Methodist Church.

This morning Reverend Roki Tigarea, Isimeli Konrote and Alipate Mataitini appeared for Alifereti to mitigate on his behalf and pleaded to the judge to consider a non-custodial sentence, stressing that whatever Alifereti has been convicted of, he did with no criminal intention. For Kete, a chief steward of the Methodist Church Liasa Tikovia, mitigated on his behalf and asked the court for a lenient sentence as he is now a reformed man.