A former accountant for the Fiji Rugby Union and his partner have been released on bail by the Suva Magistrates Court. The couple, Pawan Deo and Subhashni Mudaliar, had been in custody overnight until their case was addressed by Senior Magistrate Sufia Hamza this morning.
Deo and Mudaliar are facing charges related to conspiracy to defraud, obtaining a gain, and obtaining a financial advantage. According to allegations, while managing Sports Supplies Limited, with Deo also serving as the financial accountant for the FRU, they conspired to fraudulently acquire $53,788.75 from the union between February 1 and July 31, 2022.
Additionally, it is claimed that the couple unlawfully facilitated payments to Sports Supplies Limited, resulting in the company receiving $7,291.83, despite being ineligible for those funds, during the period from February 1 to May 11, 2022.
FICAC prosecutor Mary Takinana did not oppose the granting of bail. Magistrate Hamza has instructed the accused to refrain from any further offenses. Both individuals are required to surrender their travel documents and must report to the FICAC Headquarters monthly. The case has been adjourned until November 5 for further disclosures.