Social Democratic Liberal Party Member of Parliament Salote Radrodro.

The Suva High Court has dismissed a stay application filed by Social Democratic Liberal Party Member of Parliament Salote Radrodro.

The trial will now proceed in the Anti-Corruption Division Court from next Monday.

The Constitutional Redress matter was withdrawn last week and Judge Justice Thushara Rajasinghe refused and dismissed the stay application.

He says the power of the High Court to grant a permanent stay of proceedings in the Magistrate court is not similar to the stay of proceedings pending the determination of an appeal.

He adds that, hence, granting a stay would defeat the statutory purpose of the legislature.

He says thus, this is why his court has no jurisdiction to exercise its inherent jurisdiction to defeat the said intention and legislature.

For this reason, Justice Rajasinghe refused the notice of motion for stay of proceedings and dismissed it accordingly.

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

The MP is alleged to have obtained a financial advantage in breach of the Parliamentary Remuneration Act of 2014.

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

Radrodro and four other SODELPA MPs and a former government MP face similar charges by the Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption.

Former MP Nikolau Nawaikula was convicted and sentenced last month, while the judgment for Ratu Suliano Matanitobua will be delivered in the coming days.