Abuse of office trial of Ifereimi Vasu & Peniasi Kunatuba postponed until tomorrow

The abuse of office trial of former Acting Commissioner of the Fiji Corrections Service, Ifereimi Vasu and former Acting Deputy Commissioner for Corrections Service, Peniasi Kunatuba has been postponed till tomorrow.

This is because the third assessor in the case is currently hospitalised.

The case was to be called before Suva High Court Judge Justice Riyaz Hamza.

FICAC has 16 witnesses and one of them is former Naboro Mart Limited Manager Dhansukh Lal Bhika.

Bhika was initially charged in the case but in 2017 FICAC withdrew the abuse of office charges against him and granted him immunity from prosecution.

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.

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.