Nukuʻalofa — The Supreme Court of Tonga has handed Bijay Singh an eight‑month prison sentence, fully suspended for three years, after he pleaded guilty to forgery, knowingly dealing with a forged document, and obtaining money and goods by false pretences totalling TOP$300.
Singh pleaded guilty on 5 November 2025 to four charges stemming from incidents on 17 April 2025, when he used a false cheque from a Sean & Huberto Auto Repair chequebook without authorisation.
The offences included forgery, after he issued a counterfeit cheque intending Palu Trade Vaini Service Station to treat it as genuine.
He then knowingly dealt with a forged document by submitting the same cheque for payment.
He also obtained money and goods by false pretences, receiving TOP$200 from a victim using a fraudulent TOP$300 cheque and securing TOP$100 worth of fuel with that same false cheque.
The Crown sought a custodial outcome, recommending eight months’ imprisonment with two months suspended, citing the seriousness of forgery and comparable cases.
A pre‑sentence report noted Singh’s background (a Fiji national living in Tonga since 2017, in a de‑facto relationship with three young children, employed at HM Imports Tonga) and assessed him as at high risk of re‑offending given prior financial offending and a 2016 deportation. Defence counsel sought a fully suspended sentence with strict conditions to support rehabilitation.
In delivering his decision, the Lord Chief Justice Bishop KC said he initially believed imprisonment was necessary “to remove you from society so that the public are protected.”
However, his position shifted after reading a letter from the defendant’s employer, which described the offender in unexpectedly positive terms.
The employer stated that the accused was “the best in Tonga” at his job, had stopped consuming alcohol, and had agreed to a structured repayment plan for his debts, with deductions taken directly from his wages. The judge said these factors weighed heavily in favour of giving the offender one final opportunity under strict conditions.
Mr Bishop also warned the accused: “This is your last chance… any breach will result in the eight months being activated in full.
Lord CJ Bishop set Count 2 as the head count, imposing a 10‑month starting point, reduced by two months for an early guilty plea (net eight months).
For Counts 1, 3 and 4, the Court imposed 5 months, 3 months, and 3 months, respectively, all concurrent with the head sentence.
While emphasising the need to “stamp out” forgery because it “makes commercial life in the Kingdom more difficult and causes loss to innocent people,” the Court credited Singh’s cooperation, early plea and a strong letter from his employer describing him as “the best in Tonga” at his job, noting alcohol cessation and wage deductions arranged to repay debts. On balance, the Court fully suspended the eight months for three years.
The suspension carries strict conditions:
- No offending punishable by imprisonment during the suspension;
- Repayment to victims within 12 months;
- Placement on probation for the duration of the suspended term.
Any breach will activate the full eight months in custody.
“You have been given every chance… We must remove you from society so that the public are protected,” the judge said, adding he was “very reluctant” but persuaded to suspend the term given the employer’s guarantees and the structured repayments already in place.
