Suncourt Hardware Director Dhansukh Lal Bhika and former Principal Accounts Officer at the Agriculture Ministry Suliasi Sorovakatini have been handed down prison sentences by the High Court today.

Presiding Judge Justice Sitabaram Pillai Thurairaja has sentenced Sorovakatini to 5 years imprisonment.

He was sentenced to four years in prison for the first count of official corruption, four years for the second count and 5 years for the third count.

All these sentences will run concurrently for Sorovakatini with a 4 year non-parole period.

Dhansukh Lal Bhika has been sentenced to 4 and a half years imprisonment.

He has been sentenced to 3 and a half years for the first count of official corruption, 3 and a half years for the second count and 4 and a half years imprisonment for the third count of official corruption.

For Bhika all these prison sentences will run concurrently with a non-parole period of 3 and half years.

The maximum sentence for a count of official corruption is 7 years imprisonment.

The Judge started off the sentences from the maximum term and then reduced it due to certain factors.

Justice Thurairaja quoted a strong statement while sentencing the two men today, saying he wishes to make it clear that people in high office who abuse their powers may well in the future be required to serve an immediate prison sentence.
 
He said this comment should serve as noted to any such people, that the courts are not prepared to regard such offences lightly and that they will not suspend sentences just because the consequences for such persons are severe.

On the mitigating circumstances for Bhika, Justice Thurairaja said that he is a first offender and married with two grown up children.

The Judge said Bhika has submitted two medical records dated 13th November 2008 and 21st November 2008.

Justice Thurairaja highlighted that these records are more than two years old.

He said Bhika also submitted that the staffs of Suncourt Hardware are depending on him.

The Presiding Judge said this contradicts with the stance that Bhika had taken in the trial where he had said that the company was managed by others while he was involved in other public service.

He also considered the aggravating factors for Bhika, saying the period of offence was lengthy, at least from March to August 2001, the loss of money and reputation to the government of Fiji.

The Judge said Bhika’s counsel submitted that he was a leader of the Gujerati community, he was the Lord Mayor for 8 years and it was further submitted that Bhika took leadership of the youngsters in Fiji under the Hibiscus Festival.

Justice Thurairaja said these can be aggravating factors because Bhika’s community and the youth of Fiji may set a bad example for what he did.  

For Sorovakatini, the Judge said he brought disrepute to the entire public servants, and received kickbacks from Suncourt resulting in the improper use and wastage of taxpayers’ money.

Bhika and Sorovakatini were taken to Suva Prison in the last hour.


Story by: Vijay Narayan and Tokasa Rainima