The defence representing former Fijian ambassador to USA Solo Mara has been given time by the Suva Magistrates Court to present its case.
The is after Chief Magistrate Usaia Ratuvili today for ruled that Mr Mara did have a case to answer on the two charges that had been filed against him by FICAC.
A no case to answer application that had been filed by Mr Mara’s lawyer Devanesh Sharma upon the conclusion of FICAC’s case during the hearing in October this year.
While delivering his ruling, Mr Ratuvili said the defence had submitted in its application that the two search warrants had breached the rights of the accused and the second search warrant had been defective and this could not be basis of a charge.
Mr Ratuvili said in response, FICAC had filed that the no case to answer application should be declined by the court.
Earlier during the hearing, the defence had argued that there had been no breach of the search warrants by Mr Mara.
The defence had also claimed that the search warrant executed on the night of January 24, 2020, was done illegally since there had been no authority given by a Magistrate to do so at night.
Mr Mara was charged by the FICAC in January with one count each of disobedience of lawful order and giving false or misleading information.
Meanwhile, Mr Mara also has another case before the court in which he has been charged by FICAC on one count each of obtaining a financial advantage and causing a loss.
He was alleged to have caused payments to be made to himself from the Washington Embassy funds amounting to US$18,700.19, equivalent to F$38,481.17 between September 2016 and October 2017, while serving as the Fijian Ambassador to the United States of America (USA).
He is presently on bail for both matters.
Both matters has been adjourned to February 4, 2021.
