Suva High Court Judge Justice Prabhaharan Kumararatne will deliver his verdict this afternoon in the case of the three former executives of Post Fiji Limited, Mahendra Patel, Peni Mau and Dhirendra Pratap.
The three were found guilty by two assessors while one assessor found the three not guilty late yesterday afternoon.
Former Chairman of Post Fiji, Mahendra Patel is facing one count of Abuse of Office, the former Managing Director, Peni Mau is charged with one count of Extortion by a Public Officer and former General Manager Finance, Dhirendra Pratap is charged with one count of giving false information to Public Officers in 2010.
It is alleged that on the 29th of June, 2006 while being employed in the public service as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Post Fiji Limited in abuse of the authority of that office, Patel did an arbitrary act, namely that he extended the contract of the Managing Director of Post Fiji, Peni Mau for a term of three years without the approval of the Board which was prejudicial to the rights of the said Post Fiji Limited.
It is alleged that between 26th and 27th of February 2007 Mau while being employed in the public service as Managing Director of Post Fiji accepted a promise of a reward namely gratuity payment for his early exit from employment with Post Fiji Limited which was beyond his proper pay and emoluments.
It is alleged that Pratap on the 19th of April, 2007 being employed as a public service issued a letter to the members of the Finance Special Internal Audit team falsely stating that the Board of Directors of Post Fiji Limited had passed a resolution on the 8th March 2007, to give Peni Mau 2 years and four months’ salary and $24,000 gratuity on his early exit from employment, which was prejudicial to the rights of the Government of Fiji.
The judge will deliver his verdict at 2.30 this afternoon.
