The special audit carried out by the Auditor General's office into the affairs of the Agriculture Ministry in 2002 revealed that proper tender processes were not followed and quotations were not obtained from three companies as required when giving out Farming Assistance.

This was revealed in the Suva High Court during the trial of Suncourt Hardware Director Dhansukh Lal Bhika and former Principle Accounts officer in the Agriculture Ministry Suliasi Sorovakatini which started today.

Umesh Chand Prasad who was the Audit Manager and Acting Director Audit in the Auditor General's Office in 2002 informed the court that Sorovakatini allegedly approved 78 Local Purchase Orders amounting to $542,000, which is a breach of the Finance Act.

Prasad said in their findings they also managed to establish that most of the items which were given out under the farming assistance scheme were brought from Suncourt Hardware.

He said in doing so the Agriculture Ministry allegedly breached the accounting practice by not calling for tenders and not getting quotations from three companies as required.

It was also revealed that the Controller of Government Supplies was not contacted by the Ministry to find out whether the items that were to be handed out were available in Government Supplies.

The court was also informed that in some cases items like Forks, spades, shovels and cane knives were purchased at a much higher price even though the same item was available in the market at a much lower price.

One such example was the purchase of a knapsack sprayer from Suncourt Hardware Limited for $325 when the same brand was available at Vinod Patel at $149.  
 
The trial has been adjourned to 9am tomorrow when defence lawyer, Mehboob Raza will cross examine Prasad.

Bhika and Sorovakatini are charged with 10 counts of official corruption where it is alleged that between 16th May to 30th August, 2001, Sorovakatini who was employed as a principal accounts officer with the Agriculture Ministry made a payment voucher of $225,092 and 4 cents to Suncourt Hardware and in return received cash and goods.

It is also alleged from this money his air fare to Melbourne and Gold Coast was also paid.


Story by: Shalvin Deo