Suva Magistrate Charles Ratakele has dismissed an application by lawyer Simone Seruvakula to vacate the trial of former Acting Commissioner of Corrections Salote Panapasa and set a new trial date.
The application followed Panapasa’s former lawyer, Vinisoni Filipe withdrawing from representing her on the day of the trial this week.
Magistrate Ratakele ruled that the application did not establish a good cause to postpone the trial.
He noted that 11 witnesses had already been summoned to give evidence.
The trial is now scheduled to begin on Monday.
Panapasa faces two counts of abuse of office and an alternative charge of general dishonesty causing a loss.
It is alleged that between August 1st and September 30th, 2023, Panapasa, while being employed as a civil servant in Suva, instructed officers to facilitate the use of Corrections building materials for her private residence in Kinoya.
It is also alleged that between August 1st and October 31st, 2023, Panapasa instructed a Corrections officer to alter the weekly reports to justify the use of the building materials at her home.
