NATION

Prime Fiji ‘Has A Case To Answer’

Magistrate Deepika Prakash has ruled that contractor Prime Fiji has a case to answer in the mat­ter brought by the Fiji Independ­ent Commission Against Cor­ruption (FICAC). FICAC charged Prime Fiji
16 Jan 2019 12:01

Magistrate Deepika Prakash has ruled that contractor Prime Fiji has a case to answer in the mat­ter brought by the Fiji Independ­ent Commission Against Cor­ruption (FICAC).

FICAC charged Prime Fiji with forgery and using forged docu­ments to dishonestly induce Fiji Roads Authority.

The ruling was made yesterday after Prime Fiji submitted ear­lier that it had no case to answer.

Magistrate Prakash said: “Hav­ing heard the prosecution (FI­CAC) and also having considered the submissions of both prosecu­tion and defence, this court finds that there is relevant and admis­sible evidence to implicate the accused (Prime Fiji Limited) for each element of the offence and a reasonable tribunal could con­vict on the evidence produced.”

Magistrate Prakash said there was relevant and admissible evi­dence to implicate the accused for each element of the offences and that a reasonable tribunal could convict on the produced evidence.

Ms Tikoisuva asked for 14 days to allow the fixing of a suitable date for her clients to give evi­dence through a Skype call.

The matter was adjourned to February 11 to fix a date for the continuation of the defence case.

The defendant was given 28 days to appeal.

The Charge:

One count of forgery: It is al­leged that Prime Fiji Limited, a limited liability company hav­ing its registered address at 17 Ackland Street, Viria West, Vatuwaqa, Suva, between April 1, 2016 and April 30, 2016, partly at Suva, made a false document namely the Performance Securi­ty of Westpac Banking Corpora­tion for the Performance Guar­antee number FRA/TIISP/15-67 streetlight renewals amounting to $351,865, purported to have been issued by the Westpac Banking Corporation, with in­tent to dishonestly induce Fiji Roads Authority officials in their capacity as public officials to accept it as genuine, and to dishonestly influence the exer­cise of their function.

One count of using forged document: It is alleged that Prime Fiji Limited, a limited li­ability company having its reg­istered address at 17 Ackland Street, Viria West, Vatuwaqa, Suva, between April 1, 2016 and April 30, 2016, partly at Suva, used a false document which Prime Fiji Limited knew to be false namely the performance security of Westpac Banking Corporation for the perfor­mance guarantee number FRA/TIISP/15-67 streetlight renew­als amounting to $351,865, pur­ported to have been issued by the Westpac Banking Corpora­tion, with intent to dishonestly induce Fiji Roads Authority of­ficials in their capacity as public officials to accept it as genuine, and to dishonestly influence the exercise of their function.

Edited by Epineri vula

Feedback: ashna.kumar@fijisun.com.fj

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