The defense attorneys for Daniel Whippy, Managing Director of Carpenters Fiji, and former National Fire Authority (NFA) CEO John O’Connor, have requested additional time to evaluate their plea agreements following the release of new disclosures related to their case.
The allegations center around a fire incident at Carpenters Fiji’s property in Walu Bay, which prompted an investigation by the NFA and led to accusations of misconduct and corruption. Both defendants appeared in Suva Magistrate Court last Friday.
The case pertains to a fire at the MH warehouse in Walu Bay that took place in 2018, with both Whippy and O’Connor facing charges filed by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC).
O’Connor faces one count of abuse of office. He is accused of instructing NFA officers to modify conclusions in a fire investigation report dated April 30, 2018, while serving as the NFA Board Chair between January and September 2018. This alleged action is said to have been detrimental to the NFA’s rights and pursued for personal benefit.
Whippy is charged with one count of counseling for the omission of the offense, purportedly having advised O’Connor to carry out the illegal act.
Sera Fatafehi, counsel for FICAC, revealed that they received a bail variation application for Whippy, who is requesting to travel abroad for medical treatment. The court learned that Whippy plans to go to either India for knee surgery or the United States for stem cell treatment.
FICAC opposed the bail variation, expressing the need for time to verify medical documents and seek a second opinion from another orthopedic specialist. Kings Counsel, Stephen Stanton, informed the court that Whippy prefers the stem cell treatment option in the United States.
The case has been postponed to October 28 for further mention, with another hearing scheduled for January 13, 2025, to address O’Connor’s plea.