Former attorney-general Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum yesterday testified he was aware the Electoral Commission had written a letter to then prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama requesting a review of former supervisor of elections Mohammed Saneem’s pay and benefits.
He said Mr Saneem had the right to request a salary review after not having one from 2014 to 2021, and if the government found the additional clause in the “replacement” deed to be illegal, it could have been removed, yet nothing has been done so far.
He said while he did not know the details, but financial difficulties faced by the government during the covid-19 pandemic, may have been the reason for the postponement of the salary review.
Regarding Mr Saneem’s appointment letter signed by the President, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum pointed out a section that indicated the terms and conditions of Mr Saneem would be executed by the Prime Minister, chair of the Constitutional Officers Commission, on behalf of government.
The court session had to be temporarily suspended because defence attorney Devanesh Sharma and Gul Fatima had another case to attend to.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum faces a charge of abuse of office, while Mr Saneem is charged with a count of receiving a corrupt benefit of $55,944.03 in 2022.
The case continues today.
