The prosecution has sought to defer the trial of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama, former health minister Dr Neil Sharma, and former attorney-general Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.
The trio appeared before Justice Usaia Ratuvili at the High Court in Suva for a final pretrial conference. The trial is currently scheduled to run from November 10 to 14, 17 to 21, and 24 to 28 in Suva.
They are all accused of failing to comply with statutory requirements as stipulated under the 2010 Procurement Regulations.
Mr Sharma was charged with two counts of abuse of office and two counts of breach of trust.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum was also charged with one count of abuse of office and one count of obstructing the course of justice, while Mr Bainimarama was charged with one count of abuse of office.
Senior State Lawyer Pooja Mishra requested the deferment, citing the disclosure of a substantial volume of new material.
However, Dr Sharma’s lawyer, Wylie Clarke, asked that the trial be held sometime in March 2026, while Gul Fatima, appearing for both Mr Bainimarama and Mr Sayed-Khaiyum, requested that the matter commence later in 2026 due to her tight court schedule.
The case has been adjourned to next Monday, when Justice Ratuvili will hear from all parties on the proposed deferral.
