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Fiji’s High Court has ordered that the plea be taken next month of the Fiji Islands Revenue and Customs Authority’s (FIRCA) former general manager taxation, Vimal Krishna, who faces criminal charges.
Krishna appeared before Justice Salesi Temo in the High Court in Suva today.
Prosecutor Madhawa Tennakoon told the court that a ruling had ordered a separate trial for Krishna while consolidation of the trials of Ashwin Jogia Kumar and Peniseiniasi Tagimatuku had been allowed.
Defence lawyer Rudra Nand asked that another date be set for plea as the defence had just received the disclosures and would need further time to study the documents.
Justice Temo adjourned the case September 30, 2010 for a plea to be taken.
He said if Krishna enters a not guilty plea, hearing dates would then be set.
Krishna is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit a felony.
He is charged with endeavouring to procure the payment of a new dwelling house VAT refund of $10,000 to Jogia from FIRCA through a forged certificate of completion and permit to occupy.
Krishna also faces two counts of abuse of office for processing the refund for Jogia after being warned that the supporting documents were fraudulent.
Jogia is charged with conspiracy to commit a felony, two counts of forgery, uttering a forged document and false statement with oath.
It is alleged that he conspired with others to procure a new dwelling house VAT refund payment of approximately $10,000 for himself via the forged documents.
Tagikimatuku, a senior assistant health inspector at Navua Rural Local Authority faces one charge of conspiracy to commit a felony, two counts of forgery and two counts of uttering a forged document.
Tagikimatuku is alleged to have conspired with others on the same date, July 15, 2008 to carry out the same.
By Richard Naidu
