A former employee of the Fiji Development Bank charged by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption on multiple counts of fraud has been released on bail by the Magistrates Court in Suva.
Joji Cavalevu is charged with 12 counts of Falsification of Documents, twelve counts of Obtaining Financial Advantage and three counts of Forgery.
It is alleged that between 1 November 2017 to 31 October 2018, Joji Cavalevu issued falsified receipts to twelve customers of the Fiji Development Bank who were making genuine payments to their accounts held by FDB and in doing so, obtained a financial advantage of more than $36,000 knowing or believing that he was not eligible to receive the said financial advantage.
It is further alleged that between 1 February 2018 and 31 October 2018, Joji Cavalevu made false documents namely quotations from three private companies with the intention to dishonestly induce the Fiji Development Bank officials to accept them as genuine and to dishonestly influence the exercise of their function.
FICAC Senior Counsel Sera Fatafehi told the court that first phase of disclosures has been served.
Resident-Magistrate Jeremiah Savou released the accused on strict bail conditions.
Cavalevu has been ordered not to interfere with witnesses, report to the Navua Police Station every Saturday from 6am to 6pm and not to reoffend.
When the court told the accused to surrender his passport, Cavalevu said he had been convicted in another court in 2019, and his travel documents were being held by the Criminal Registry.
The accused told the court that he was convicted on the same charges and has served time for it; however, the suspended sentence term is still active.
The matter has been adjourned to 3 October for mention.
