Nikhil Aiyush Kumar 
[Photo: File]
The Suva Magistrate’s Court has refused to grant leave to vacate the trial of former Assistant Commissioner of Corrections Salote Panapasa.
Panapasa appeared before Magistrate Charles Ratakele this morning.
Her lawyer, Simione Valenitabua, applied to vacate the trial to allow time to review case disclosures following the withdrawal of previous defense counsel, Vinisoni Filipe.
Magistrate Ratakele refused the application, stating that 11 prosecution witnesses have been summoned and vacating the trial at this stage would prejudice proceedings.
The Magistrate ruled that the trial will begin next Monday, giving the defense sufficient time to review the material.
After the ruling, Valenitabua proposed an alternative option, but Magistrate Ratakele noted that the defense should have raised it before the decision.
Panapasa is charged with two counts of abuse of office and an alternative count of general dishonesty causing a loss.
It is alleged that between August 1 and October 30, 2023, she committed an arbitrary act of abuse of authority by instructing Fiji Corrections Service officers to facilitate the use of building materials for her private residence.
She is also alleged to have altered a weekly report between August 1 and October 31, 2023, to justify using those materials.
