Lawyers for both the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) and former finance officer Sarika Devi Raj are continuing discussions regarding additional documentation required for their case. Raj appeared in the Suva Magistrate’s Court, where she sought a ruling on her bail conditions.
Raj’s lawyer, Mohammed Saneem, requested the removal of her reporting obligations to the FICAC office. She is accused of engaging in an arbitrary act that resulted in her gaining $182,404.99 between September 20, 2019, and June 19, 2020, and of failing to disclose her ownership of Maleka Investment, which was a vendor for the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF). This failure has been described as prejudicial to RFMF’s interests.
In court, Saneem alleged that FICAC misled the court regarding a search warrant they executed, indicating difficulties in obtaining the documentation requested. He raised a critical point about whether RFMF or the court held the authority in this case.
In response, FICAC lawyer Lavinia Ravuikadavu denied misleading the court. She explained that while they had many RFMF manuals and instructions, Saneem needed to specify which document he needed. She mentioned they had communicated this in a prior letter.
Magistrate Pulekeria Low emphasized that FICAC, being the charging authority, should provide all necessary documents. Saneem now has 14 days to submit another application for documents, after which FICAC has a further 14 days to respond. Both parties are scheduled to reconvene in court on January 23.
This case highlights the ongoing efforts to address corruption allegations in Fiji while ensuring that legal processes are followed thoroughly, providing a hopeful perspective on the governance accountability in the region.
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