The defense attorneys for Carpenters Fiji Managing Director Daniel Whippy and former National Fire Authority CEO John O’Connor have requested additional time to evaluate their plea agreements. This request follows the release of new disclosures to the defendants.
The allegations center around a fire incident at Carpenters Fiji’s facility in Walu Bay, which prompted an investigation by the National Fire Authority and has led to charges related to misconduct and corruption.
Whippy and O’Connor appeared in Suva Magistrate Court last Friday. The case pertains to the 2018 fire at the MH warehouse in Walu Bay, with both men facing charges from the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC).
O’Connor is charged with one count of abuse of office, accused of instructing NFA officers to alter findings in a fire investigation report from April 30, 2018, while he was the NFA Board Chair between January and September 2018. FICAC claims this act was detrimental to the NFA’s rights and was done for personal advantage.
Whippy faces a charge of counseling O’Connor to omit information regarding the offense.
FICAC Counsel Sera Fatafehi informed the court of a bail variation application for Whippy, who wishes to travel abroad for medical treatment. The court learned that Whippy plans to either go to India for knee surgery or to the United States for stem cell therapy. FICAC opposed the bail application, citing the need for time to verify the medical documents and seek a second opinion from another orthopedic specialist. Kings Counsel Stephen Stanton told the court that Whippy favored the stem cell treatment in the U.S.
The case has been adjourned until October 28 for further mention and is set for another mention on January 13, 2025, for O’Connor’s plea to be recorded.