Public Health Inspector Convicted for Forgery.
A recent incident has cast a shadow of misconduct over the Ministry of Health as a Public Health Inspector Grade II has been charged with forgery and convicted of Forgery. The accused, an unnamed individual, held the responsibility of conducting person and food inspections at various retail and wholesale shops.
The case came to light when Hou Zhi Huang, a shop owner from Tofoa, sought the assistance of the defendant in obtaining the necessary certificates for his shop. Despite lacking the authorization to issue Health Certificates, the defendant agreed to help Huang and collected the required paperwork along with a fee of $155.
However, the situation took an unfortunate turn when the defendant mistakenly issued Huang not only his rightful Certificate of Registration and Health Certificate, but also fraudulent documents intended for another person named Mei Juan Ni. In addition, the defendant requested financial assistance from Huang, citing personal needs, and was given $40 initially, followed by an additional $100 at a later date.
The forged certificates were discovered in May 2022 when Huang visited the Vaiola Hospital for their renewal. Dr. Joseph Takai promptly identified the fraudulent nature of the certificates and questioned Huang about their origin. Huang was forthcoming and revealed that the defendant had issued the counterfeit documents.
The defendant voluntarily confessed their wrongdoing on May 18, 2022, acknowledging their actions to their supervisor and the Chief Executive Officer of Health. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the CEO referred the matter to the Public Service Commission (PSC). After a thorough review, the PSC deemed the defendant’s actions as serious misconduct and subsequently involved the Police.
Appearing the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Whitten found the accused guilty and convicted him of: (a) two counts of forgery and is sentenced on each count to 18 months’ imprisonment; and (b) two counts of knowingly dealing with forged documents and is sentenced on each count to 12 months’ imprisonment. All the sentences are to be served concurrently and to be fully suspended for a period of two years with conditions.
It is important to note that throughout the investigation, the defendant cooperated with the authorities, demonstrating a willingness to accept responsibility for his actions.
This incident serves as a reminder of the critical need to maintain integrity and ethics within the public service. The Ministry of Health has expressed its commitment to addressing this breach of trust and implementing measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Moving forward, the Ministry will reinforce protocols and training to ensure the upholding of professional standards, while restoring public confidence in the integrity of its personnel.
