A former tax investigator and auditor of the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service has been sentenced to 17 months out of which 12 months had been suspended for two years by the Suva Magistrates Court today.

Jone Vula will spend five months in jail.

Vula when investigating business tax returns had accepted $500 from a businessman.

The incident occurred on the 6th of March, 2014.

while sentencing, Magistrate Asanga Bodaragama says the act of bribery should be viewed as damaging and serious with grave implications on the trust and confidence of public service of this country.

The Magistrate says the offence committed was not a mere technical breach of the law, but was committed after planning and preparation and that good character could not be relied upon to evade the criminal responsibility of his conduct.