Staff employed in the judiciary hold a high degree of trust imposed in the office they work for.
A young mother who breached that high level of trust without regard for the integrity of the office of a judge, was sentenced to four years in hard labour today for misappropriating more than K25,000 two years ago.
The third arm of government is of highest integrity and cannot be shattered because the fabric of society weaves from what they do as custodians of the rule of law.
Rachel Tony, of Hula village, was employed as the personal secretary to the Chief Justice when she dishonestly used the name of the Deputy Chief Justice, to hire two vehicles over 30 days from 2 February to 3 March, 2016.
The vehicles hired from Islands Mobile Hire cars saw an invoice of K25,844.50 sent to the Deputy Chief Justice’s chambers when he never requested nor hired any vehicles during that period.
Tony obtained the vehicles and used them for her personal use and to the benefit of others.
She pleaded guilty before the National Court and apologised to the Deputy Chief Justice, her colleagues and asked to repay the money.
However acting Judge Nicholas Miviri, in sentencing her, was of the view that her guilty plea does not wear out the gravity of the offence.
The court noted no attempts were made to pay the outstanding invoice with the hire car company even two years later.
With the amount misappropriated and the high degree of trust breached, Tony was sentenced to four years in jail with hard labour.