A former bank teller Falanika Suataai, convicted of six counts of forgery and five counts of theft as a servant has been sentenced to 13 months in jail.
The mother of two fromMulivai Safata and Fasitoo-uta forged the signature of a bank client on several occasions which amounted to $2,600.
The Police Report says there were four other illegal transactions by the defendant, before the client lodged an official complaint with the ANZ Bank for the unauthorised withdrawals.
The defendant pleaded guilty on 21 June 2021. The recent sentencing was handed down by Supreme Court Justice, Niava Mata Tuatagaloa.
The Prosecution identified similar sentencing imposed by the Court with similar circumstances and recommended a custodial sentence with a two year starting point.
The Prosecution also pointed out the high culpability level as the unauthorised transactions was conducted six times by the defendant to the same account.
This could have continued on if the owner of the account did not find out about it and lodge a complaint.
Offences of this nature goes to the moral character of a person – that of dishonesty and such person cannot be trusted.
There is also the usual collateral aggravating factors of any theft as a servant offence of breach of trust of the employer (ANZ Bank) who offers employment and trust their employees to work with honesty and with diligence.
Justice Tuatagaloa found it appropriate to have starting point of sentencing at 30 months or two and half years.
The mitigating factors personal to the defendant is that she has managed to repay most of the money back except $300.
