Two former employees of the i-Taukei Land Trust Board (TLTB) appeared in the Labasa Magistrates Court yesterday, along with two others, facing corruption-related charges.
Former TLTB Manager North, Josaia Waqairatu, and former Senior Estate Officer, Nemani Tamani, have been charged by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) with one count each of Abuse of Office.
Waqairatu is accused of processing and approving a land lease application between 1 September 2016 and 31 September 2016 without adhering to the required policies and procedures, which allegedly prejudiced the rights of the relevant Landowning Unit and TLTB.
Tamani is accused of canceling the application to lease for the same file between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2019, without following the relevant policies and procedures.
In addition, Mocevou Rakabikabi faces 12 counts of Obtaining a Financial Advantage, and Varun Chand faces three counts of Obtaining a Financial Advantage.
Rakabikabi is alleged to have falsely sold a piece of land in Salusalu Street, Namara, which he did not own, to various individuals between 1 June 2018 and 2 August 2019, obtaining $60,000.
Chand is accused of falsely selling a piece of land in Salusalu Street, Namara, to two individuals between 1 November 2019 and 30 November 2019, obtaining $28,000.
All the accused were granted bail of $1000 each under strict conditions. They must each produce a surety, reside at a fixed address, not interfere with state witnesses, and report to their nearest police station or FICAC office once a month.
The case has been adjourned to 2 October for mention.