Saimon McTupul sentenced for fraud charge

A Brisbane clothing industry businessman who didn’t come good on an international deal has faced court.

A Brisbane clothing business owner has been sentenced after pleading guilty to fraud. Picture: Michael Potter

A Brisbane business owner who owed more than $14,000 worth of second hand clothes to a Fijian company has been sentenced in Caboolture Magistrates Court.

Saimon Kumb McTupul, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of dishonestly gaining the money, telling the court he ran into trouble fulfilling the clothing order when his wife went into early labour.

The court heard McTupul, a devout Christian, had taken an order and a 50 per cent deposit in October of 2018 from a company in Fiji to supply a 40-foot shipping container full of second-hand clothing.

The court heard he had fulfilled similar orders for organisations in other countries including Africa.

However the court heard that almost a year ago he ran into trouble trying to fill the order and then had to fly from Australia to Papua New Guinea to be with his wife, who was giving birth to their second child.

The court heard a “remorseful” McTupul had previously been convicted in 2015 on another fraud charge.

McTupul, who the court heard had paid all of the $14,000 back to the Fijian victim, was fined $3500 and had no conviction recorded.

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