The trial for the abuse of office case involving former Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and former Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem will begin next Tuesday.
The two appeared before Chief Justice Salesi Temo in the Suva High Court this afternoon.
State Prosecutor Hezekiah Nofaga informed the court that they will be calling 20 witnesses.
Nofaga also says the Master of High Court in Lautoka will also be a witness and they are asking if it could be done in a closed court.
Defence Counsel, Devanesh Sharma told the court that they agree to what the State put forward, and are also ready to go to trial.
Chief Justice Temo advised the State to produce three witnesses a day as well as have one on standby.
Sayed-Khaiyum is charged with abuse of office while former Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem is charged with receiving a corrupt benefit.
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.
