THE man who sold a fake scholarship offer letter for $2,000 to a Solomon Islands National University (SINU) student last year had received a one-year jail term.
John Folia, 31, was sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of false pretence.
Principal Magistrate Fatima Taeburi when sentencing Folia said the amount of $2,000 is substantial.
“It was never recovered,” she said.
She also considered the loss suffered by the victim when imposing the sentence on Folia.
Magistrate Taeburi in mitigation also took into account Folia’s guilty plea, he has no previous conviction and the fact that he is a young man.
Folia met the complainant on an unknown date between 1 January and 31 January 2020 where he took $2,000 from her in the assurance that he would get her an offer letter for a scholarship towards her study at SINU.
The court had heard Folia did give her an offer letter for a Scholarship but the victim later realized that it was a fake copy of a scholarship offer letter for 2020.
The victim then tried to contact Folia and looked for him but Folia avoided her and cuts off his communication with her.
She then reported the matter to the police who later arrested Folia.
The time Folia spent in custody was taken into account.
The maximum penalty for false pretence is five years imprisonment.
Public Solicitor’s lawyer George Taedi represented Folia while Police Prosecutor Iete Tebakota appeared for the Crown.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN BONGIDANI
Newsroom, Honiara
