The Fijian Elections Office’s financial controller, Romika Sewak, is currently being cross examined by Defence lawyer Devanesh Sharma on the processing and calculation of the payment made to former Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem.
This is day three of the ongoing trial where Mr Saneem is charged alongside former Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.
It is alleged that Mr Sayed-Khaiyum, between June 30 and July 12, 2022, while serving as Acting Prime Minister, signed a Deed of Variation and Addendum between the Government and then Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem.
The ODPP alleges that the approval for the government to pay the taxes of Mr Saneem was done without proper approval from the Constitutional Offices Commission and the President of Fiji.
Further allegations state that between 1 June and 31 July 2022, Mr Saneem, while employed as Supervisor of Elections, “without lawful authority and reasonable excuse, asked for, and obtained a benefit for himself, that is, the approval and payment/waiver of tax of more than $55,000 that was charged on his back pay.”
Chief Justice Temo has fixed the trial to run from 16 September to 3 October 2025.
For the state were the Acting DPP Nancy Tikoisuva and Prosecutor Hezekiah Nofaga.
The men are represented by RPatel Lawyers, Devanesh Sharma and Gul Fatima.
The matter continues.
