A former accountant for the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) and his partner have been held in custody overnight pending a bail decision. Pawan Deo and Subhashni Mudaliar appeared before Senior Magistrate Sufia Hamza, facing charges of conspiracy to defraud, obtaining a financial gain, and obtaining a financial advantage.
The allegations state that while Mr. Deo served as the sole proprietor of Sports Supplies Limited (SSL) and was also the FRU’s financial accountant, he conspired with Ms. Mudaliar to unlawfully secure $53,788.75 from the FRU. This misconduct reportedly took place between February 1 and July 31, 2022.
Additionally, they are accused of fraudulently processing payments to SSL, resulting in an improper payment of $7,291.83, despite knowing the company was not entitled to receive these funds. This incident allegedly occurred between February 1 and May 11, 2022.
During their court appearance, the couple had their charges read in English and chose to represent themselves. The Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) prosecutor, Mary Takinana, did not oppose bail but requested specific conditions for the couple, which were ultimately accepted.
Magistrate Hamza ordered that the couple remain in custody until their sureties can appear in court today.