A former employee of the Nasinu Town Council, Pauliasi Bainivalu, has turned State witness in a case involving the alleged defrauding of the council for over $370,000. He appeared in the High Court in Suva before Justice Usaia Ratuvili. His co-defendants—Eliki Bula, Shiu Raman, and Razia Bibi—did not attend the proceedings as they were unaware of the scheduled court date.
Josanne Pene, a prosecutor from the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption, announced that the amended information regarding the case had been filed and served to the involved parties. Bainivalu’s lawyer requested an additional month to review this amended information.
Bainivalu and Bula, who both served as IT officers at the council, face charges related to incidents that allegedly took place between 2014 and 2019. Bainivalu is accused of soliciting $116,177 and accepting $57,427.40 in bribes from various companies, while Bula allegedly solicited $1,000 from an employee of Innovation Technology Pte, a council service provider, in 2014.
Shiu Raman and Razia Bibi, employees of Innovation Technology, are also charged. Raman faces multiple charges, including conspiracy to defraud and bribery. Bibi, a company director, is charged with aiding and abetting bribery for allegedly offering $2,066 to Bainivalu to facilitate the bribery offense.
All four defendants are scheduled to return to court on October 7.