Former National Fire Authority Board Chair John O'Connor has pleaded not guilty to charges filed by FICAC in relation to alleged corruption.
O'Connor and Carpenters Fiji Managing Director Daniel Whippy appeared before Magistrate Sufia Hamza in the Suva Magistrate Court today.
O'Connor is charged with one count of Abuse of Office while Whippy is charged with one count of counseling for the omission of the offence.
It is alleged that between January 1st, 2018 and September 28th, 2018, while employed as NFA Board Chair, O'Connor, in abuse of his authority, arbitrarily directed NFA officers to amend the findings of their April 30th, 2018, fire investigation report concerning the April 8th, 2018 fire at the MH Warehouse in Walu Bay.
This action is alleged to be prejudicial to the rights of the NFA and intended to confer a benefit.
It is also alleged that Whippy, as Director of W.R. Carpenters (South Pacific) PTE Limited, counselled O'Connor to amend the findings of the April 30th, 2018 fire investigation report.
Whippy's counsel, Suruj Sharma, informed the court that his client would be travelling overseas for medical treatment from February 2nd to March 1st, 2025, for knee surgery.
The FICAC prosecutor, Lavenia Ravuikadavu, did not object to the travel, and the Stop Departure Order was lifted for Whippy from January 30th to March 2nd, 2025.
Magistrate Hamza granted Whippy permission to travel for his medical procedure.
The matter is scheduled for a mention to fix the hearing date on March 3rd.
