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Tomasi Peckham Sentenced to 23 Months’ Imprisonment, Partly Suspended

Posted by Media Team 16 October 2026

The Suva Magistrates Court has sentenced Mr Tomasi Peckham to 23 months’ imprisonment for obtaining a financial advantage of $5,587.50.

He will serve 11 months immediately, with the remaining 12 months suspended for three years.

Resident Magistrate Joseph Daurewa imposed the sentence on 16 October 2026 following Mr Peckham’s guilty plea to one count of Obtaining Financial Advantage.

Mr Peckham was a Fisheries Officer with the Ministry of Fisheries at the time of the offence.

The case concerned funds received in connection with a seaweed value-added training programme in 2019, which he failed to reimburse to the Ministry.

The Court considered his previous good character, personal circumstances, cooperation and guilty plea.

It gave minimal weight to his restitution of $5,100 because the payment was made nearly seven years after the offence and after he had pleaded guilty.

In imposing a partly suspended sentence, the Court recognised his prospects of rehabilitation while emphasising the breach of public trust and the need to deter others in positions of trust from similar offending.