Member of Parliament, Manoa Kamikamica has been granted bail with $10,000 bail bond, while his plea has been deferred to the 28th of November.
Kamikamica’s lawyer, Wylie Clarke says they will definitely apply for permanent stay in the High Court for the matter in the next 10 to 12 days.
He says FICAC has not responded to them as they were supposed to do by yesterday regarding the withdrawal of the charges.
Principal State Counsel, Lilian Mausio did not object to bail and stressed for strict bail conditions such as travel documents to be surrendered, sureties and bail bond.
Wylie Clarke says this case is appropriate for dispensation of bail under Section 6 of the Bail Act.
Clarke says the reason for this is not actually the usual case, as Kamikamica returned voluntarily from overseas knowing that the case is waiting for him.
He says Kamikamica has a very good character as he held the position of Deputy Prime Minister.
The defence lawyer says that the evidence is completely underwhelming and none of the evidence they have seen are close to substantiating the charges laid by FICAC.
He says they have raised concerns about why these charges have been brought in the first place because a properly directed prosecution would not do that.
Clarke asked Suva Magistrate Charles Ratakele to determine whether this is an adequate and appropriate case for dispensation.
Principal State Counsel, Mausio said that under the Bail Act, dispensation of bail can only be granted if the offence that the accused person is charged with offers an imprisonment and does not have an imprisonment term.
She says for perjury under the Crimes Act has a maximum imprisonment term of seven years.
Clarke says under Section 6 of Bail Act there is no strict condition.
Kamikamica is charged with one count of perjury and one count of giving false information to a public servant. It is alleged that between 1st December 2024 and 31st March 2025 in Suva, Kamikamica knowingly made a false statement under oath, claiming that he had nothing to do with the appointment of the FICAC Commissioner.
It is alleged that Kamikamica provided the same false information to the Commissioner of Inquiry (COI).
