FEO Director Corporate Services stresses that Saneem should have paid his taxes and not the govt

Fijian Elections Office's Director Corporate Services, Sanjeshwar Ram has stressed that the former Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem should have paid his taxes rather than the government.

In the trial where former Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and Saneem are facing abuse of office allegations, Ram kept reiterating that it's strange for employees backpay tax to be covered by the government.

During his cross examination, defence counsel Devanesh Sharma asked Ram if he had raised the tax issue with the government or the Constitutional Offices Commission.

Ram responded that he had no authority to question the Supervisor of Elections and it's employer.

He says those times were very different.

Chief Justice Salesi Temo told Ram that he could not question him but could gossip behind his back.

While responding to Sharma, the Director Corporate Services highlighted that he didn't stab Saneem in the back.

The Chief Justice asked Ram what the issue was with the two legal instruments and whether he was happy with what had happened.

Ram says the issue was that it was not endorsed by the President.

He also says if the government approved to pay Saneem’s tax then there should be provision for all civil servants. The defence counsel highlighted that the President had delegated his authority to the Prime Minister in relation to Saneem’s contract.

When questioned, Ram agreed that the two Deeds were not to exempt Saneem from tax but from additional tax.

The defence asked whether Ram had begged Saneem not to terminate him because of his son’s wedding.

Ram further says that these are just stories.

Ram’s cross examination continues this afternoon.

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.