FEO Acting HR Coordinator says Saneem asked for first Deed of Variation copies to be destroyed

The Fijian Elections Office's Acting Human Resources Coordinator Epeli Naidrodro testified in court today that former Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem asked him to return the first Deed of Variation and to destroy any other copies.

Naidrodro was the fourth prosecution witness in the trial in which Saneem and former Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum face abuse of office charges.

He told the court that a meeting was called where Saneem informed staff about a new contract.

During cross-examination, defence counsel Devanesh Sharma pointed out that in his police statement Naidrodro said Saneem had asked for the original Deed of Variation to be returned because a new one would soon be issued.

However, in court Naidrodro stated that Saneem instructed him to destroy any copies.

Sharma says Saneem had told him the salary increase matter should remain confidential because political parties might use it as a political issue.

Naidrodro agreed that Saneem was not being unreasonable but was protecting sensitive information.

Chief Justice Salesi Temo then asked Naidrodro what was wrong with Saneem requesting a refund when the government had agreed to it.

Naidrodro replied that it was fine to ask for a benefit, but he had never seen anyone request a tax refund.

Chief Justice Temo stressed that no witness had presented evidence on that point.

Sayed-Khaiyum and Saneem are charged with abuse of office and receiving a corrupt benefit, respectively, in 2022.

It is alleged that Sayed-Khaiyum between June 30th and July 12th in 2022, whilst being the Acting Prime Minister, signed a Deed of Variation and Addendum between the Government and the then Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem and that the approval for the government to pay the taxes of Mohammed Saneem was done without the proper approval of the Constitutional Offices Commission and the President of Fiji.

It is alleged that between the 1st of June 2022 and the 31st of July 2022, while being employed as the Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem without lawful authority and reasonable excuse, asked for and obtained a benefit for himself, that is the approval and payment/waiver of tax of more than $55,000 that was charged on his back pay as a Supervisor of Elections.