A businessman and two former officers of the Fiji Roads Authority formerly known as Department of National Roads have appeared in court for bribery and abuse of office related charges.

The total amount involved is over $3 million.

Director of T.F Jan Bulldozing Company, Feroz Mohammed is charged with bribery for using influence in regards to contracts and obtaining a financial advantage. 

It is alleged that Mohammed offered an advantage namely payments amounting to $93,000 to the Acting Project Accountant of the Department of National Roads Iliesa Turagacati in return for a contract for T.F Jan Bulldozing Company. 

In addition to this, Mohammed allegedly caused false invoices to be created and submitted to the Department of National Roads and circumvented the Fiji Roads Authority verification process in submitting claims and received payments that they were not entitled to. 

It is alleged that as a result of that conduct, Mohammed obtained a financial advantage of $3.132 million for himself and T.F Jan Bulldozing Company from the Fiji Roads Authority knowing that he and the company was not eligible to receive the financial advantage.

Turagacati is charged with abuse of office and bribery for using influence in regards to contracts.
 
Turagacati who was the Acting Project Accountant for the Fiji Roads Authority allegedly accepted an advantage amounting to $93,000 from Feroz Mohammed in return for Turagacati using his influence in making payments provided for under a certain contract to T.F Jan Bulldozing Company. 

It is also alleged that Turagacati abused the authority of his office and did an arbitrary act for the purpose of gain and caused payments not eligible to be made amounting to $3.132 million to be paid to T.F Jan Bulldozing Company which was an act prejudicial to the rights of the Fiji Roads Authority.

Navitalai Tamanitoakula is charged with abuse of office.

It is alleged that Tamanitoakula who was the Senior Accounts Officer of Fiji Roads Authority, abused the authority of his office, did an arbitrary act in processing payments amounting to $2.468 million to T.F Jan Bulldozing without following proper procedures.

Mohammed, Turagacati and Tamanitoakula appeared before Magistrate Chaitanya Latchman this afternoon.

Tamanitoakula has been remanded in custody until Monday as he did not have a surety.

Mohammed has been released on $5,000 bail while Turagacati has been released on $1,000 bail.

They will reappear on the 2nd of October.


Story by: Vijay Narayan