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A former Palmerston North mayoral candidate was today jailed for two years.
Pakistan-born Arshad Mahmood Chatha, 40, had earlier been found guilty of six fraud-related charges.
Chatha's charges related to three Pakistani passports, applications for a New Zealand work permit and residence and a rubber stamp found during a police raid of his house in April 2004.
Appearing in the High Court at Wellington for sentence today, Chatha continued to maintain his innocence.
But prosecutor Ben Vanderkolk told the court the offending had directly challenged the integrity of the New Zealand Immigration Service.
Justice Alan MacKenzie told Chatha that he felt there was a risk of him re-offending and imprisonment seemed to be the course he should adopt.
- NZPA
