The first witness for FICAC was today accused as a liar and cunning person in the trial for five people charged in relation to an alleged scam involving more than three million dollars.
The five accused persons involve a businessman and four former workers of the then Department of National Roads.
Businessman, Feroz Jan Mohammed’s Queen Counsel Ian Lloyd today cross examined Mukesh Chand who was a senior technical officer of TF Jan Bulldozing Company Limited.
He accused Chand that he came to court as an immunized witness and he is telling pack of lies as he wants to keep his immunity and does not want to be prosecuted.
Chand agreed in court that according to the records the work claimed for was not done.
High Court Judge Justice Paul Madigan alerted FICAC lawyer Rashmi Aslam that they did not provide immunity document to court and the assessors also did not know about this.
QC Lloyd presented some labour claims and compared with time sheets of the employees working at Nausori highland road upgrading project however Chand denied and said that these employees were working at a crusher site.
Lloyd further accused Chand that part of his immunity is to say that work was not done or else he may lose his immunity.
Businessman Feroz Jan Mohammed and former civil servants Iliesa Turagacati and Navitalai Tamanitoakula are charged with Bribery, Obtaining a Financial Advantage and Abuse of Office.
Former civil servant Aisea Liwaiono has been charged with two counts of Causing a Loss and Vijay Prasad has been charged with one count of Causing a Loss.
He told the court that he was a Project Coordinator of TF Jan Bulldozing Company Limited when they were given the contracts for the upgrading of the Nausori Highland road by the Department of National Roads.
The trial will continue today.
