Defence seeks dismissal of Health Tender case

Defence lawyers for former senior government officials involved in a 2011 Health Tender trial have moved for a dismissal of the charges. This move came after the prosecution concluded its case at the Suva High Court yesterday, prompting the defence to argue that there was no case to answer.

The accused include former Health Minister Dr. Neil Sharma, who faces two counts of abuse of office and two counts of breach of trust. Former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama is charged with one count of abuse of office, and former Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum faces one count of abuse of office and one count of obstructing justice.

These charges stem from the awarding of tenders for medical equipment in 2011 and alleged non-compliance with the 2010 Procurement Regulations. The final prosecution witness, Senior Investigating Officer Suliasi Dulaki, testified that the case originated from a complaint filed by Samisoni Ralulu. However, under cross-examination, Dulaki admitted that investigators faced challenges due to the significant time elapsed since the alleged offenses.

Lawyers for the defence questioned the witness about missing documents, with Dulaki confirming reliance on materials provided by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC). Defence counsel also inquired whether investigators had confirmed the actual purchase, payment, and use of the medical equipment by the Ministry of Health, which Dulaki affirmed they had investigated. The court is set to hear oral arguments on the defence's application on August 14.

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investigators encountered challenges due to the significant passage of time since the alleged offences