Case involving Vasu, Bhika and Kunatuba transferred to High Court

The abuse of office case of former Acting Commissioner of Fiji Corrections Service Ifereimi Vasu, former Naboro Mart Limited Manager Dhansukh Lal Bhika and former Permanent Secretary of Agriculture and former Acting Deputy Commissioner for Corrections Service Peniasi Kunatuba has been transferred to the High Court.

Magistrate Makereta Mua said the case is being transferred to the High Court because the accused persons are charged with an indictable offence.

All three lawyers for the accused persons requested for the case to remain with the Magistrates Court.

FICAC Senior Counsel Rashmi Aslam had asked for the case to be transferred to the Suva High Court.

The case will be called at the Suva High Court on the 16th of September.

Vasu has been charged with one count of abuse of office.

It is alleged that while being employed as a Fiji Corrections Commissioner and as a Director of Naboro Mart Limited, Vasu did arbitrary acts for the purpose of gain namely facilitating and approving the purchasing of goods to the amount of $131,683 from Naboro Mart Limited contrary to the Procurement Regulations 2010, the Financial Management Act 2004, the Finance Manual of the Fiji Corrections Service which were acts prejudicial to the rights of the Fijian government, the Fiji Corrections Service and the approved government contractors.

It is alleged that this occurred between 11th July 2013 and 27th December 2014.

Peniasi Kunatuba has also been charged with one count of abuse of office.

It is alleged that between 31st January 2013 and 7th March 2014, Kunatuba approved the purchase of goods to the amount of $54,734 from Naboro Mart Limited contrary to the Procurement Regulations 2010.

Dhansukh Lal Bhika has been charged with one count of aiding and abetting abuse of office and one count of obtaining a financial advantage.

It alleged that Bhika aided and abetted Ifereimi Vasu between 11th July 2013 and 27th December 2014 while being the Manager of Naboro Mart Limited.

Bhika was allegedly engaged in a conduct namely supplying goods to the Fiji Corrections Service despite not being an approved supplier or a contractor to the government and as a result of that conduct obtained a financial advantage amounting to $186,417 for Naboro Mart Limited, knowing that Naboro Mart was not eligible to receive the financial advantage.

Bhika and Kunatuba were earlier charged, convicted and sentenced in relation to the 2001 Agriculture Ministry scam.