From left: Voreqe Bainimarama, former Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and Dr. Neil Sharma

The Suva Magistrates Court has granted the application by the state counsel in the case involving former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, former Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, and former Health Minister Dr. Neil Sharma.

Their matter has been transferred to the Suva High Court to be called on 26th of this month.

The state counsel had made an application to move the matter to the High Court.

The trial date set for August this year has also been vacated.

The three appeared before Magistrate Sufia Humza today.

In this matter, Voreqe Bainimarama is charged with one count of abuse of office and Sayed-Khaiyum is charged with one count of abuse of office and one count of obstructing justice.

Dr Neil Sharma is charged with abuse of office.

It is alleged that the three failed to comply with statutory requirements for tenders as stipulated under the 2010 Procurement Regulation.

It is alleged that between 03 August and 13 September 2011 at Suva while employed in the public service as the Minister of Health, Sharma abused his position by intentionally failing to comply with statutory requirements for tenders stipulated under the Procurement Regulation 2010 for the Ministry of Health Tender.

It is alleged that he actively engaged in acts to undermine in favour of the bidder, Hospital Engineering & Consultancy Ltd also known as Hospineer which was an arbitrary act that was prejudicial to the rights of other bidders.

The second abuse of office charge is that between October 18th and 20th 2011, Sharma being employed in the public service as the Minister of Health, allegedly abused his position by intentionally failing to comply with statutory requirements for tenders stipulated under the Procurement Regulation 2010 for the Ministry of Health Tender and actively engaged in acts to undermine in favour of bidder, Hospital Engineering & Consultancy Ltd also known as Hospineer which was an arbitrary act that was prejudicial to the rights of other bidders.

The third count is a breach of trust by a person employed in the public service.

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