The Suva Magistrate’s Court has acquitted former board director Sanjay Lal Kaba of corruption-related charges after upholding a “no case to answer” application.
Magistrate Charles Ratakele ruled yesterday that the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) failed to establish a prima facie case due to insufficient evidentiary support.
Mr Kaba was charged with one count of obtaining a financial advantage between January 2017 and December 2018 while serving as a board director for Telecom Fiji Ltd (TFL) and Amalgamated Telecom Holdings Ltd (ATH).
FICAC alleged he used insider strategic information to secure a $766,327.22 project management contract for his firm, HLK Jacob, relating to TFL’s new headquarters. However, the court found no direct evidence that Mr Kaba admitted to the offence or personally interfered with tender evaluators.
FICAC has 28 days to appeal the ruling.
