[Photo: File]
A former fisheries officer has been handed partial suspended sentence by the Suva Magistrates Court.
Tomasi Peckham was sentenced to 23 months imprisonment and from this he will serve 11 months immediately, with the remaining 12 months suspended for three years.
Magistrate Joseph Daurewa sentenced Peckham after he pleaded guilty plea to one count of obtaining financial advantage.
Peckham was a Fisheries Officer with the Ministry of Fisheries at the time of the offence.
Article continues after advertisement
The case concerned funds amounting to over $5000 received in connection with a seaweed value-added training programme in 2019, which he failed to reimburse to the Ministry.
The Court considered his previous good character, personal circumstances, cooperation and guilty plea.
It gave minimal weight to his restitution of $5,100 because the payment was made nearly seven years after the offence and after he had pleaded guilty.
In imposing a partly suspended sentence, the Court recognised his prospects of rehabilitation while emphasizing the breach of public trust and the need to deter others in positions of trust from similar offending.