Six SODELPA and a government member of Parliament (MPs) have been released on strict bail conditions by the Suva Magistrates Court for allegations of obtaining financial advantage amounting to $186,749.20.
Salote Radrodro, Peceli Vosanibola, Adi Litia Qionibaravi, Simione Rasova, Niko Nawaikula and Ratu Suliano Matanitobua appeared before chief magistrate Usaia Ratuvili yesterday after they were each charged by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) with a count each of giving false information to a public servant and obtaining financial advantage.
All six are alleged to have breached the Parliamentary Remuneration Act 2014.
In court, FICAC filed full phase disclosures for all six. The six MPs were represented by Suva lawyer Sevuloni Valenitabua.
As part of their bail conditions, Mr Ratuvili ordered all of the accused persons to surrender their travelling documents and report to their nearest police stations every last Friday of each month.
Mr Ratuvili also placed a stop departure order against all MPs and released them on bail in the sum of $700 each. FICAC had also objected to Ro Filipe Tuisawau being a surety for Ratu Suliano on the grounds that Ro Filipe was an Opposition MP.
Ms Radrodro, Mr Nawaikula, Mr Vosanibola and Ratu Suliano were released with one surety each and have been told to provide another surety on the next court date.
Mr Ratuvili ordered that the conditions of bail relating to residential addresses given by the six would come into effective from next Friday after the parliamentary sessions conclude.
He also told all six to advise their reporting stations about their movements.
All six will reappear on January 25, 2021.
Meanwhile, Government MP Vijendra Prakash was granted bail by the court after he appeared separately before the Suva Magistrates Court.
Mr Prakash was charged by FICAC with a count each of giving false information to a public servant and obtaining financial advantage.
Mr Prakash was released on a $5000 bail and a stop departure order was also issued against him. He will appear again on January 25, 2021.
