Ratu Suliano Matanitobua

Opposition MP Ratu Suliano Matanitobua gave false information when he stated Namosi village as his permanent residential address.

This was part of the argument presented by Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption’s Commissioner Rashmi Aslam when he was delivering his closing submission in court this afternoon.

Ratu Suliano is charged with one count of giving false information to a public servant and one count of obtaining a financial advantage.

He allegedly falsely stated that his permanent place of residence was Namosi Village, in Namosi.

The MP then allegedly obtained over $38,300 between August 2019 and April 2020.

Aslam said the witnesses, in this case, confirmed that Ratu Suliano resides at Veivatuloa village in Namosi and even the MP did not object to this fact.

He said the witnesses stated the MP does not own a house in Namosi village but his house is situated at Veivatuloa and it was unoccupied from 2018 until 2020.

Aslam said the MP moved back to Veivatuloa after he renovated his house in 2020.

He adds the MP was aware about his conduct because he had made claims in the Parliament Statutory form stating that Veivatuloa was 86 kilometers away from the Parliament complex.

The prosecutor said this information was amended by the Parliament staff and the MP did not question the former Secretary-General Viniana Namosimalua.

He adds the MP cannot claim that he was not familiar with the content of the statutory form and what the form required him to do.

Aslam said the MP could have questioned the Parliament staff if he was unsure about what he was supposed to note in the form.

High Court judge Justice Thushara Kumarage will deliver his verdict next week Friday.