The Tribunal that investigated the suspended Director of Public Prosecutions, Christopher Pryde found the payment of USD$1000 as superannuation into an overseas bank account of Mr Pryde was in his contract which was signed by the President.
The allegation that the Tribunal investigated was that there was no written approval from the Judicial Services Commission that Mr Pryde was to he paid USS1000.00 per month in superannuation.
“Mr Pryde had a choice under his contract between home superannuation (New Zealand), Fiji National Provident Fund or such other superannuation fund at his discretion,” said the Tribunal in its ruling.
“He opted for his superannuation to be paid to an offshore fund. However. the contract did not specify an amount or a formula for his superannuation entitlement.”
“When he was Solicitor General. his superannuation entitlement was paid monthly to an offshore fund in accordance with the FNPF mandated contributions as specified under the FNPF Act. These contributions were converted to US dollar, per month and then transferred to the offshore fund.”
The Tribunal noted a submission from the Fiji l.aw Society that stated Mr Pryde’s right to receive superannuation is contained in the contract of employment and that the President of the Republic Fiji signed the agreement.
“‘So it is open to the Tribunal to find that the approval was in fact given,” the Tribunal noted from the Law Society submission.
“The Tribunal endorses the above view and after considering the law as stated above. the Tribunal finds that Mr. Pryde has not committed an act “misbehaviour in terms of section 1 I 7 (6) of the Constitution in relation to the second allegation.”
