NATION

Ex-Sugar Research Institute CEO In Court For Corruption-Related Charges

The former acting chief executive of­ficer of the Sugar Research Institute of Fiji (SRIF), San­jay Prakash, has been charged by the Fiji Independ­ent Commission against Corruption (FICAC) on corrup­tion related
03 Oct 2018 09:23
Ex-Sugar Research Institute CEO In Court For Corruption-Related Charges
Accused Sanjay Prakash. Photo: Yogesh Chandra

The former acting chief executive of­ficer of the Sugar Research Institute of Fiji (SRIF), San­jay Prakash, has been charged by the Fiji Independ­ent Commission against Corruption (FICAC) on corrup­tion related matters.

Prakash appeared before Magistrate Rangajeeva Wimala­sena at the Lautoka Magistrates Court yesterday.

He has been charged with one count of obtaining financial advantage and two counts each of general dishonesty causing a loss.

THE CHARGES:

Count One: Obtaining financial advantage

It is alleged that Mr Prakash between the 1st of December 2015 to the 31st of January 2016 at Lautoka in the Western Division while employed as the acting CEO of SRIF in­structed one Brian Robotham of Scan Consulting Pty Ltd to transfer AUD $16, 900 from the AUD$44,353 paid to Scan Consulting Pty Ltd by Sugar Research Institute of Fiji for the purchase of items to the ANZ Australian bank account number 214018281 belonging to AAA- 24/7 Bins Pty Ltd and as a result of that conduct, obtained a financial advan­tage amounting to AUD $16,900 for AAA 24/7 Bins Pty Ltd knowing or believing that the company was not eligible to receive the said financial advantage.

Count Two: General dishonesty causing a loss:

It is alleged that Mr Prakash between 1st December 2015 and 31st January 2016 whilst being employed as the CEO of SRIF dishonestly caused a loss to the Sugar Research Institute of Fiji namely instructed one Brian Robotham to transfer AUD $16,900 from the AUD $44,353 paid to Scan Consultancy Pty Ltd by SRIF for the purchase of items to the ANZ Australia bank account number 214018281 belong­ing to AAA- 24/7 Bins Pty Ltd knowing that the said loss will occur or a substantial risk of the loss will occur to SRIF.

Count Three: General dishonesty causing a loss

It is alleged that Mr Prakash between 1st October 2015 to 31st May 2018 while being employed as the acting CEO of SRIF caused the payment of FJD$13,500 to be made by SRIF to Lovely Auto Repairs for the purchase of storage contain­ers and as a result of that conduct, dishonestly caused a loss of FJD $3500 to SRIF, knowing that the said loss will occur or a substantial risk of loss will occur to SRIF.

The charges were read to Prakash, to which he said he understood. He was represented by Iqbal khan.

Mr Khan requested that his client be bailed.

FICAC lawyer, Adrian Sharma did not object to bail but requested strict conditions be imposed.

Magistrate Wimalasena released the accused on bail with strict conditions. The conditions included a $2000 bail bond, two sureties to be produced, a $500 cash bail pay­ment to be made, all travel documents to be surrendered and he was not to interfere with any witness and report to the Lautoka Police Station every last Friday of the month.

Mr Sharma requested 21 days to file submissions on the prosecution’s case. The case was adjourned to October 30 for mention.

Edited by Caroline Ratucadra

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