Anirudha Bansod

Former Post Fiji Chief Executive Anirudha Bansod has been sent to jail.

Magistrate Yogesh Prasad sentenced him to a year and six months imprisonment effective immediately, after he was found guilty of abuse of office and general dishonesty causing a loss by the Suva Magistrates Court today.

Bansod had provided false confidentiality and conflict of interest declaration for the tender of the design, development and implementation of the Post Fiji Mobile Application in 2022.

At the outset of the sentence, Magistrate Prasad had imposed three years imprisonment but it was reduced to 2 years imprisonment due to the aggravating factors.

According to the aggravating factors; the accused in this matter by providing false confidentiality and conflict of interest declaration that he knew no one at Technobase IT Solutions PVT Limited.

In fact, he knew this bidding company’s one key personnel which grossly breached the trust which was bestowed upon him, and that was to act in the best interest of Post Fiji Limited.

It further states, that the accused holding the position of Post Fiji Limited’s Chief Executive and Chairman of the tender committee with an attractive remuneration working against the best interest of his employer by systematically communicating with one Vaibhav Desphande from Technobase IT Solutions PVT Limited in relation to the tenders.

The mitigating factors states that the accused is a first offender, he eventually pleaded guilty at almost the end of the case, and that he was remorseful of his actions.

Magistrate Prasad says as for the mitigating factors such as the accused is a first offender, he reduced the sentence to 2 years imprisonment.

He also says as for pleading guilty at almost the end of the case, he further reduced the sentence to a year and 6 months imprisonment.

Magistrate Prasad says the court notes that as the offence of abuse of office is designed to safeguard the integrity of Government Institutions from systematic corruption and abuse of powers, it therefore did not suspend the sentence in the interest of the public and issue of deterrence.

The defense counsel has been given 28 days to appeal the verdict by the court.