Former Acting Director of the Works Ministry and current Shipping Advisor John Rounds is today being cross examined by defense lawyer in the case against former Permanent Secretary for Works Anasa Vocea.

The trial is underway before Justice Daniel Gounder where Rounds, who is a FICAC witness was asked by Vocea’s lawyer Bob Lateef as to whether he attended several meetings of the Pacific Forum Line in Tonga, as well as in other Pacific island countries and New Zealand on behalf of former Permanent Secretary for Works Anand Kumar and received fees for being a board member of the Marine Port Industry Board.

The witness agreed and Lateef then asked him why he attended meetings while Kumar was quite capable of traveling to Tonga as a travel ban is only imposed by Australia and New Zealand.

Rounds replied he was asked by the Minister and Permanent Secretary to attend meetings and added he had received a cheque on behalf of Anand Kumar from the secretary financial controller of the Pacific Forum Line in New Zealand.

Lateef then highlighted a number of Annual General Meetings of the Pacific Forum Line which were held at Suva’s Holiday Inn and chaired by Fiji’s representatives.

He then told the witness to read minutes of a meeting where it is stated that shareholders approved fees to be paid to board directors.

Rounds denied receiving any Director’s fees.

Rounds agreed he knew that Anasa Vocea was chairman of Pacific Forum Line from 2003 till the current government terminated him.

Vocea is charged with eight counts of fraudulent conversion and eight counts of false declaration.

It is alleged that between January 2000 and March 2007, Vocea received over $200,000 as a board director for the Fiji government and used it for his own benefit.

He then allegedly made false declarations in eight tax returns over the eight years.

The trial continues in the Suva High Court this afternoon.


Story by: Ronal Deo