Former Attorney General and Civil Aviation Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, along with former Fiji Airways Corporate Affairs Executive Shaenaz Voss and the airline’s General Manager for Safety, Security, and Quality Sharun Ali, were released on strict bail conditions on Friday. The trio appeared before Magistrate Semi Babitu at the Nadi Magistrates Court, facing multiple charges related to incidents between 2018 and 2023.
Sayed-Khaiyum is confronted with 44 charges, which include 11 counts of unlawful carriage of firearms on an aircraft, 11 counts of receiving corrupt benefits, 11 counts of breach of trust as a public servant, and 11 counts of abuse of office. Voss faces three counts of providing corrupt benefits, while Ali is charged with 11 counts of giving corrupt benefits. Additionally, Voss, Ali, and Fiji Link are also charged with five counts of failing to report security occurrences and three counts related to airline security violations.
These charges fall under the Civil Aviation (Security) Act 1994, Civil Aviation (Security) Regulations 1994, and the Crimes Act 2009. The state was represented by Acting Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Laisani Tabuakuro and Director of Public Prosecutions John Rabuku. Sayed-Khaiyum and Voss were represented by lawyer Gul Fatima, while Ali’s defense was provided by Wasu Pillay.
During the court proceedings, Tabuakuro did not oppose bail but requested stricter conditions, including a substantial cash bail bond of $50,000, due to the serious nature of the allegations. Defense attorneys argued that the cash bail requirement was excessive and proposed non-cash bail bonds, as seen in similar cases.
Pillay asserted that his client had no intention of fleeing, noting that the investigation had been ongoing for over a year. Tabuakuro countered that the accused had treated the airline as their personal property over the span of five years and urged the court to consider the discretion in granting non-cash bail bonds. She requested a six-week period for the case to be revisited.
Magistrate Babitu approved the bail conditions, which require the accused to surrender their passports, comply with a stop departure order, and avoid contacting prosecution witnesses, many of whom are affiliated with Fiji Airways. It was noted that Sayed-Khaiyum’s passport is being held by the Suva Magistrates Court. Ultimately, a non-cash bail bond of $10,000 was granted, with each accused required to secure two sureties who would also be subject to the non-cash bail conditions. The case is scheduled to be heard again in the Nadi Magistrate Court on November 14.