Suva Magistrate Makereta Mua has refused FICAC’s application to call another witness in Ratu Isoa Tikoca’s case.
FICAC’s Senior Counsel Rashmi Aslam told the Magistrate that Tikoca had said during the trial that he had directed one of his accounts staff at the Fiji High Commission in PNG to deduct a portion from his salary.
Aslam told the court that it will be only fair for the accounts officer at the Fiji High Commission in PNG, Fonua Jioji to comment on what Tikoca has said.
Tikoca’s lawyer Kitione Vuetaki objected to this.
The case will be called again on the 31st of this month for mention to check the closing submissions from both counsels.
Tikoca is charged with failure to declare his liabilities contrary to section 24 of the Political Parties Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures Decree.
It is alleged that Tikoca failed to declare the liability and the amount of the liability to the Registrar, the Permanent Secretary responsible for Elections that he had incurred to the Government of Fiji during his tenure as Fiji’s High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea.
-Fiji Village
