THE Office of the Attorney-General has yet to respond to extradition proceedings involving Director of Public Prosecutions Christopher Pryde.
While updating Magistrate Yogesh Prasad on the status of the extradition, Acting FICAC Commissioner Lavi Rokoika expressed her embarrassment that the AG’s chambers had yet to reply to FICAC’s application to extradite Mr Pryde from New Zealand.
Mr Prasad informed the parties that the most appropriate course of action now is to allow the A-G’s chambers some time to respond.
Mr Pryde, who has been absent from office since his reinstatement in January this year, faces multiple corruption-related charges.
He is charged with one count of abuse of office for allegedly approving and receiving four gratuity payments amounting to $138,445.05 without obtaining the necessary approvals from the Office of the President and the Judicial Services Commission.
He is also charged with causing a loss, “on the basis that he dishonestly caused financial loss to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions by accepting these unauthorised payments”.
He also faces a second count of abuse of office, for approving eight reimbursements totalling $47,053.03 for airfares for his wife and child, despite knowing they did not reside with him in Fiji.
An alternative charge of obtaining a financial advantage is also laid, “for knowingly receiving payments to which he was not entitled”.
A third count of causing a loss alleges that “on or about 16 September 2022, Mr Pryde was reimbursed $7828.56 for unused air tickets.
Although the airline refunded him directly, he allegedly failed to return that money to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The case has been adjourned to November 3.
