A customs officer was today sentenced to 6 months imprisonment for the offence of forgery and abuse of authority.

The Suva High court was told that on 19th December, 2008 29 year old Farzand Ahmad Khan who was working at Nausori Airport, allowed a man to depart Fiji, although the Nadi Magistrate court had issued an order against the man restraining him from traveling out of Fiji.

Khan altered the Departure Maintenance Record of one Kolinisau Sarusaru by substituting his name and date of birth with that of Mohammed Aiyaz who was restrained from traveling out of Fiji.

While sentencing Khan, High court Judge Justice Daniel Goundar highlighted that to alter passenger records to allow a person to escape the jurisdiction in breach of a court order is a serious matter that must be denounced.

Justice Goundar said the purpose of the punishment is not only to deter Khan but others as well from committing this kind of offences.