Salote Radrodro

The sentencing of former Parliamentarian Salote Radrodro has been moved to Thursday.

Initially, she was supposed to be sentenced on Wednesday.

However, High Court Judge Justice Thushara Kumarage said he would need time to go through the submissions made by Radrodro’s counsel Simione Valenitabua and Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption Commissioner Rashmi Aslam.

The submission is about a notice of motion in arrest of judgment filed by Valenitabua.

Valenitabua today maintained his argument in court by stating that the Anti-Corruption Division High Court in Suva does not have the power to try his client for the offenses in the information filed against her FICAC.

He said the application was made under Section 239 of the Criminal Procedure Act.

The law allows an accused person, at any time before sentence, whether on a plea of guilty or otherwise, to stop a judgment because the charge does not, after any amendment that the court has made and had the power to make, state any offence which the court has the power to try.

Valenitabua stated that Radrodro should be discharged from the charge on which she was found guilty, on the ground that it did not state any offence that the court had the power to try.

He added that as an MP, his client was immune from criminal proceedings under the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act.

In addition, he also asked the court to discharge Radrodro.

In response, Aslam said the application was misconceived.

He said the application was last minute and also it was imperative to note that the High Court has the jurisdiction to try any civil and criminal cases against any individual.

Radrodro is guilty of one count of giving false information to a public servant and one count of obtaining a financial advantage.

She falsely stated that her permanent residence was in Namulomulo village, Nabouwalu, Bua, and stole $37,920 between August 2019 and April 2020.