The abuse of office trial of former Acting Commissioner of the Fiji Corrections Service Ifereimi Vasu and former Acting Deputy Commissioner for Fiji Corrections Service Peniasi Kunatuba has been vacated and it will now be held in October.
High Court Judge Justice Riyaz Hamza has set the new trial date from 7th October to 8th November this year.
Justice Hamza made the decision after consulting the prosecution and defence lawyers.
The Court took into account several factors which includes the time that would be required to go through the 24 witnesses that would called and that includes 16 FICAC witnesses and 7 defence witnesses.
One of the FICAC witnesses is former Naboro Mart Limited Manager Dhansukh Lal Bhika.
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.
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