Defence Queens Counsel, Brian Keene showed a number of documents including board meeting minutes, some information papers, investment register and the balance sheet of Vanua Development Corporation Limited’s loan to Pacific Connex to the first prosecution witness Ratu Tu’uakitau Cokanauto in the High court yesterday.
Keene asked Cokanauto if he accepted that the information paper had detailed information about Vanua Development Corporation and Pacific Connex Limited.
He also asked him whether it is possible that Vanua Development Corporation Limited’s loan to Pacific Connex Limited may have been in the information papers.
Cokanauto said that the information may or may not have been in the papers.
Keene then showed Cokanauto the 376th board minute papers and said that Pacific Connex Limited had obtained a 3G license which would have been a big business for them.
He further said that Native Land Trust Board was asked to support them.
The trial of former Native Land Trust Board director and Vanua Development Corporation Chairman, Keni Dakuidreketi continues today as Cokanauto will take the stand again.
Dakuidreketi is facing five counts of abuse of office.
It is alleged that Dakuidreketi between 31st March 2004 and 21st September 2004, while being employed as a member of NLTB and Chairman of Vanua Development Corporation, in abuse of the authority of his office, did an arbitrary act for the purpose of gain, by facilitating a loan of $2 million to be made by Vanua Development Corporation to Pacific Connex, which was prejudicial to the NLTB and indigenous Fijians.
The second count relates to Dakuidreketi allegedly facilitating a loan of $900,000 to be made by Vanua Development Corporation to Pacific Connex between the 16th and the 29th of November 2004.
The third count said that Dakuidreketi between about 28th February 2005 to 28th April 2005 allegedly facilitated a government grant of $1 million disbursed to Vanua Development Corporation through the NLTB to be used as security for a loan to Pacific Connex Limited by Dominion Finance.
For the fourth count it is alleged that Dakuidreketi again between 27th April 2005 to 3rd July 2007 while being employed as a member of NLTB and Chairman of Vanua Development Corporation facilitated a government grant of $1 million disbursed to Vanua Development Corporation through the NLTB to be used as security for overdraft and loan facilities provided to Pacific Connex, by ANZ Bank.
It is also alleged that Dakuidrekwti between 23rd September 2005 and 29th September 2005 facilitated a loan of $1 million to be made by the Vanua Development Corporation to Pacific Connex, which was prejudicial to the NLTB and the indigenous Fijians.
Vanua Development Corporation was set up as an investment arm of NLTB which included the involvement of Dakuidreketi while Pacific Connex was an IT company set up by Ballu Khan.
Dakuidreketi was a board member of Pacific Connex Limited.
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