Update: 1:21PM FORMER prime minister Laisenia Qarase has been sentenced to 12 months imprisonment by the High Court in Suva this morning.
While Justice Fernando took into consideration all the things said about Qarase by the character witnesses, the various government boards he served on and community work, he said it was rare for the court to suspend abuse of office cases.
Judge Justice Priyantha Fernando convicted Qarase on Tuesday of six charges of abuse of office and three charges of discharge of duty with respect to a property in which he had a private interest.