Former Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and former Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem faced the Suva Magistrates Court today. They appeared before Magistrate Jioji Boseiwaqa in a special court session.
The court has adjourned the case to next Tuesday to address two pending applications. Sayed-Khaiyum and Saneem have requested the consolidation of charges, while Saneem has sought to have the charge against him dismissed.
The forthcoming hearing will be conducted by Magistrate Yogesh Prasad. Defense attorney Devanesh Sharma requested that Sayed-Khaiyum be excused from attending next week’s hearing, a request which Acting DPP Nancy Tikoisuva did not oppose, leading the court to grant the excusal.
In this case, Sayed-Khaiyum faces a charge of abuse of office, alleged to have authorized government payments of taxes for Saneem without the necessary approval from the Constitutional Offices Commission and the President. Saneem is charged with receiving a corrupt benefit, accused of soliciting and accepting a personal gain while serving in his role. It is alleged that between June 1 and July 31, 2022, Saneem unlawfully sought and received over $50,000 in deductible tax relief related to his back-pay from a senior government official.