Former FICAC Investigator Alifereti Wakanivesi has revealed in court that he was not the individual who collected documents from the Government ITC, the Ministry of Health and the Fiji Procurement Office but had analysed all the documents that were tendered as the prosecution’s evidence.
This is after former Minister for Health’s lawyer Wylie Clarke asked Wakanivesi if he was the individual who collected the emails that have been tendered by the State as evidence in the Health Tender trial involving Voreqe Bainimarama, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and Dr Sharma.
Clarke then told Wakanivesi that he could not see his name in the file showing the personnel who collected the emails.
When questioned by State lawyer Laisani Tabuakuro on what they found in terms of the relationship between Dr Sharma and Hospineer Hospital, Wakanivesi said it was a business relationship.
When cross-examined by Bainimarama and Sayed-Khaiyum’s lawyer Devanesh Sharma, he said the file had been taken to the CID because there was a complaint lodged with the Police.
Wakanivesi confirmed that they did not further investigate the matter after it was directed to be paused.
When re-examined by Tabuakuro on who directed the investigation to pause, Wakanivesi told the court that it came from the former Deputy FICAC Commissioner George Langman.
He says the directive came from the former Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.
When asked why they did not question Langman about the reason for pausing the investigation, he said that they could not disobey someone superior to them.
The trial will continue at 10.30am tomorrow.
Bainimarama, Sayed-Khaiyum and Dr Sharma have pleaded not guilty.
Dr Sharma is charged with two counts of abuse of office and two counts of breach of trust by a person employed in the public service.
Bainimarama is charged with one count of abuse of office.
Sayed-Khaiyum is charged with one count of abuse of office and one count of obstructing the course of justice.
