FICAC MATTER Rabuka retracts challenge to ‘confessions’
Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) Leader Sitiveni Rabuka has retracted his challenge for the confessions he allegedly made in his caution interview.
Rabuka, who is charged with one count of providing a false declaration of assets and liabilities to the Supervisor of Elections, allegedly made confessions when he was interviewed by the Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption (FICAC).
On the first charge, in 2017 he allegedly failed to provide information pertaining to tax liability with the Fiji Revenue and Customs Services (FRCS), which amounted to $316,956.20.
He allegedly failed to declare the Investment and interest income with Raghwan Construction Limited in the amount of $200,000 and $16,000 respectively and also the liability in the amount of $120,000. On a second charge, Rabuka is alleged to have approached and interfered with a witness connected with his first charge, which was a condition imposed by the court while granting him bail initially. Appearing before Suva Magistrate Jioji Boseiwaqa yesterday, his lawyer Ian Lloyd QC said he met Rabuka for the first time on Sunday October 14, 2018, and was instructed to withdraw any challenge made to his caution interview.
Mr Lloyd said accordingly he would need time to get further instructions from his client and look through the witness statements that FICAC would tender during trial.
FICAC senior prosecutor Rashmi Aslam said he would provide the documents to the defence by 2pm yesterday, which will give them sufficient time to respond. The case has been adjourned to 10.30am today for an update on the case and whether parties intend to proceed with trial. Rabuka’s bail has been extended.
He is represented by a three-member legal team namely Mr Lloyd, Filimoni Vosarogo and Lynda Tabuya.
Mr Aslam is assisted by FICAC lawyer Sam Savumiramira. A former Ministry of Foreign Affairs employee charged with four corruption-related offences pleaded not guilty at the Suva Magistrates Court today.
Azreen Shabnam Khan was charged by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) with one count each of “Abuse of Office”, “Obtaining a Financial Advantage”,
“Causing a
Loss” and “Giving False Information to Public Servant” in
August.
During the court sitting, FICAC State Counsel Laite Bokini told the court that prosecution would not rely on the caution interview.
The former Second Secretary to the Fiji High Commission in New Delhi was alleged to have fraudulently caused payments amounting to FJ$40,559.37 from last January to this March from monthly allowances sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
She allegedly certified 35 payment vouchers to receive FJ$26,214.44 and further caused the certifying of 15 payment vouchers for various claims amounting to FJ$14,344.93.
Furthermore, she is alleged to have given the former Acting Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs false information regarding the interviews and appointments of Locally Engaged Staff (LES), employed by the Fiji High Commission in New Delhi, which then led the Acting PS to approve the employment of the LES. Resident Magistrate Liyanage Wickramasekara extended bail for the accused. The matter was adjourned to November 29, 2018, to fix a hearing date. the former Second Secretary to the Fiji High Commission in New Delhi was alleged to have fraudulently caused payments from last January to this March from monthly allowances sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.