A former accountant at the Fiji Rugby Union and his partner have been released on bail by the Suva Magistrates Court. The couple, Pawan Deo and Subhashni Mudaliar, were held in custody overnight before appearing before Senior Magistrate Sufia Hamza.
They face charges of conspiracy to defraud, obtaining a gain, and obtaining financial advantage. It is alleged that, while managing Sports Supplies Limited and with Deo serving as FRU’s financial accountant, they conspired to fraudulently acquire $53,788.75 from the FRU. These alleged offenses occurred between February 1 and July 31, 2022.
Additionally, the couple is accused of improperly facilitating payments to Sports Supplies Limited, resulting in the company receiving $7,291.83 despite knowing it was ineligible for the funds. This alleged misconduct took place between February 1 and May 11, 2022.
FICAC prosecutor Mary Takinana did not oppose their release on bail. Magistrate Hamza stipulated that both individuals must not offend again, surrender their travel documents, and report to the FICAC Headquarters monthly. The case has been postponed until November 5 for further disclosures.