Managing Director of Houng Lee Kaba Jacob Limited and former Director of Telecom Fiji Limited, Sanjay Kaba has been charged with one count of obtaining a financial advantage, and was granted bail by Magistrate Sufia Hamza this afternoon.
It is alleged that Kaba between 27th January 2017 and 20th January 2019 whilst being a board member of Telecom Fiji Limited and Amalgamated Telecom Holdings Limited, engaged in conduct namely bidding for a tender through the company Houng Lee Kaba Jacob Limited for providing Project Management services to TFL for TFL's new office and data centre project, and as a result obtained a financial advantage amounting to $766,327.22 between June 2022 and July 2023, knowing that HLK Jacob was not eligible to receive the financial advantage as he had failed to declare his interest as director for HLK Jacob.
The State counsel did not object to bail but proposed strict conditions such as stop departure, two sureties with a proposed bond of $5,000 each and Kaba to report to the FICAC office once a month.
Defence counsel, Vasu Pillay strongly objected to the stop departure order by saying Kaba is not a flight risk as he has several investments in Fiji and the nature of his job requires him to travel.
Pillay had proposed two sureties and a cash sum of $20,000 to provide comfort to the court.
The State counsel says Kaba can abscond Fiji as there are not enough reasons for him to return and a plea has not been taken as well.
Pillay says Kaba owns an apartment valued at $8 million and has three properties in Fiji and FICAC doesn't have enough evidence that Kaba is a flight risk.
He says it is false that Kaba doesn’t have enough reasons to return to Fiji.
Magistrate Hamza granted bail with two sureties where the conditions include not to re-offend while on bail, not to interfere with witnesses, report to FICAC once a month, surrender travel documents while a stop departure order has been placed on Kaba.
Magistrate Hamza says bail variation can be applied for business trips when required.
The first phase of disclosures have been served.
The matter is adjourned to the 25th of February.
