Nikhil Aiyush Kumar 
former Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem.
The Human Resource Coordinator at the Fijian Elections Office, Epeli Naidrodro, has told the Suva High Court that he was instructed to return the first copy of the Deed of Variation and destroy all other copies.
Naidrodro is the fifth prosecution witness in the trial of former Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem and former Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.
He testified that he was told to hand back the HR copy of the Deed of Variation related to Saneem’s back pay.
Chief Justice Salesi Temo asked Naidrodro what was wrong with Saneem requesting a benefit for his back pay.
Naidrodro responded that while Saneem had the right to make such a request, the government could not pay for someone else’s taxes.
During cross-examination, Naidrodro confirmed that Saneem had asked the HR team to keep his salary review confidential, as he did not want political parties to make an issue out of it.
He agreed that political parties are considered third parties and are not entitled to internal staff documents of the Elections Office.
Naidrodro also acknowledged that there had been ambiguity in interpreting some of the additional clauses in Saneem’s Deed of Variation.
He said the second deed not only dealt with Saneem’s tax issues but also covered other provisions, including security relocations, with the approval of the Electoral Commission.
In this trial, Sayed-Khaiyum is charged with abuse of office, while Saneem faces a charge of receiving a corrupt benefit.
It is alleged that Sayed-Khaiyum, while acting as Prime Minister, signed a Deed of Variation and Addendum approving payment of Saneem’s taxes without proper authorization, which gave Saneem a financial benefit.
The trial continues today.
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