Updated: 9:20am – A businessman was charged alongside three current and two former employees of the Ministry of Health for corruption related offences.
All six accused persons charged by the Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption appeared before Magistrate Samuela Qica at the Ba Magistrates Court yesterday.
It is alleged that businessman, Mohammed Fariaz who is charged with one count of falsification of documents, one count of giving false information and one count of obtaining a financial advantage dishonestly falsified quotations with the aim of obtaining a gain in the sum of over thirty eight thousand dollars from the Health Ministry.
He is alleged to have dishonestly submitted quotations to the Ministry which he knew were false.
It is also alleged that Fariaz engaged in the conduct of falsifying quotations and submitting to the Ministry and as a result of such conduct, obtained financial advantage.
The other five accused – Shiri Ram, Aliti Tamani, Setefano Lagilagi, Ilisepa Bulavakarua and Mohammed Imraan have been each charged with one count of Abuse of Office.
The accused persons chose to seek legal advice from Legal Aid Commission and private Counsels. They were granted bail on a one thousand dollars bail bond after producing a surety each in court.
They are to not to reoffend, not to interfere with prosecution witnesses, not to change residential addresses and are to report to the nearest Police station every Wednesday.
They were also ordered to surrender their travel documents and are not allowed to travel overseas. The matter has been adjourned to 29th November for second phase disclosures to be served.
-FBC
