Court hears that former senior civil servant allegedly received wild pigs, fish and crabs from businessman

The trial for five people charged in relation to the $3 million alleged scam continued in the Suva High Court yesterday where the former Roads Supervisor of the Department of National Roads, Aisea Liwaiono’s caution interview was read and it was revealed that he received wild pigs, fish and crabs from Feroz Jan Mohammed.

Aisea Liwaiono has been charged with two counts of Causing a Loss while businessman Feroz Jan Mohammed and former civil servants Iliesa Turagacati and Navitalai Tamanitoakula are charged with Bribery, Obtaining a Financial Advantage and Abuse of Office.

FICAC’s Senior officer, Koliniasi Sau who investigated this case read the interview in court today where Liwaiono also said that he received these items more than 10 times from Mohammed.

Sau also read in court that Liwaiono signed a number of invoices raised by TF Jan Bulldozing Company Limited for road upgrading projects in the Nausori Highlands.

Some of the invoices raised were valued at over $95,000, $107,000 and $46,000.

During the caution interview conducted by FICAC’s Senior officer, Koliniasi Sau, Liwaiono also said that he mistakenly endorsed the invoices and was doing this with a good heart.

The court was told that Liwaiono signed on these invoices without sighting any verification on whether any work was undertaken.

It was further revealed that Liwaiono mentioned he did not receive proper training and he thought the statements needed his endorsement.

Meanwhile, Feroz Jan Mohammed’s Queen Counsel, Ian Lloyd asked FICAC’s Senior officer, Koliniasi Sau if he looked for the time sheets of TF Jan Bulldozing Company Limited. Sau said they did not look for it as it was not the focus of their investigation.

It is also alleged that Mohammed and his company obtained a financial advantage amounting to more than $3 million by receiving money the company was not entitled to, upon submitting false invoices and circumventing the proper procedures concerning the processing of payments with the influence of Iliesa Turagacati in 2012.

According to the charges, the payments were made from the funds allocated for upgrading the Nausori Highlands road.