Defense counsels for former Post Fiji Chairman Mahendra Patel and Former Managing Director Peni Mau have started their closing submissions as the abuse of office trial against their clients comes to an end.
Mau’s Lawyer Devinesh Sharma has called on the assessors in the trial that they must only concentrate on the evidence produced in court during the trial and not let other factors influence their decision.
Sharma stressed that the purchase of the $75,000 Seiko clock from Prouds was negotiated by the architect Adish Naidu and not Peni Mau.
He said when the board approved the design for the Post Fiji facade, Naidu negotiated on behalf of Post Fiji to reduce the size of the clock but not the price of the clock.
Sharma said his client had no motive and that it was not necessary to call for a tender because Mau as Managing Director had the authority to approve the purchase.
He said another factor was the time constraints as Naidu had insisted that the clock be mounted before the South Pacific Games.
The defense counsel also highlighted that there were 12 people within Post Fiji who dealt with the purchase order for the Seiko clock.
Sharma also highlighted that no current board members of Post Fiji were called to give evidence on the procedures in place to make such purchases.
After Sharma, Patel’s lawyer Hamendra Nagin will address the assessors before the FICAC Counsel makes his closing remarks.
It is expected that High Court Judge Justice Daniel Goundar will sum up the case this afternoon for the assessors who will then retire behind closed doors to deliberate on a verdict.
Story by: Ronal Deo
