The Suva Magistrate’s Court has scheduled a trial for former Acting Fiji Corrections Service Commissioner Salote Panapasa. During a court session on Thursday, she faced Magistrate Krishan Prasad regarding two charges of abuse of office, as well as a secondary charge of general dishonesty leading to a financial loss.
The allegations against Panapasa state that between August 1 and September 30, 2023, while employed as a civil servant in Suva, she directed officers to use building materials belonging to the Fiji Corrections Service for her personal residence in Kinoya. Furthermore, it is claimed that from August 1 to October 31, 2023, she instructed a Corrections officer to amend weekly reports to justify the appropriated materials.
Although a hearing was planned to discuss the agreed-upon facts, Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) lawyer Mary Takinana revealed that Panapasa’s legal team only acknowledged two points concerning her identity and title, while disputing the remaining statements made by FICAC. As a result, both parties agreed to schedule the trial from June 23 to June 27 of the following year, and her bail was extended.
This case highlights the importance of accountability and ethical governance, reinforcing the commitment to uphold integrity within public service. The upcoming trial may serve as a reminder of the significance of transparency in government roles and could lead to a strengthening of procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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