Anirudha Bansod (right) with his lawyer Devanesh Sharma

The defense counsel for former Post Fiji Chief Executive Anirudha Bansod has yet to decide on the appeal for the sentence imposed by the Suva Magistrates Court.

Magistrate Yogesh Prasad sentenced Anirudha Bansod to one year and six months imprisonment effective immediately, after was found guilty of abuse of office and general dishonesty causing a loss yesterday.

Senior counsel Devanesh Sharma says they need to take further instructions on the matter.

Sharma acknowledges that his client has received a light sentence.

In this matter, Bansod provided false confidentiality and conflict of interest declaration by stating that he did not know anyone at Technobase IT Solutions PVT Limited, for the tender of the design, development and implementation of the Post Fiji Mobile Application in 2022.

Anirudha Bansod

However, the court was informed that Bansod knew this bidding company’s one key personnel which grossly breached the trust bestowed upon which was to act in the best interest of Post Fiji Limited.

Magistrate Prasad considered the mitigating factors whilst laying the sentence for Bansod, and therefore his sentence was reduced from three years to one year and six months.

The court 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.