A former Divisional Forestry Officer in the North pleaded guilty to five counts of abuse of office in the Labasa Magistrates Court yesterday afternoon after earlier being charged by FICAC.

Noa Vakacegu appeared before the Labasa Magistrates Court’s Anare Tuilevuka who was told that between September and November this year, Vakacegu approved through a request letter from logging company Sam Civil Service to delay payment of outstanding royalties owed to Mataqali Tibitibi, Mataqali Vitina and the government of Fiji.

Vakacegu had done this without the authority of the conservator of Forest thereby causing prejudice to the rights of the two Mataqalis and the Fiji government.

Vakacegu will be sentenced on December 16th.