Court

Ratu Suliano lives in Suva: witness

May 31, 2022 12:55 pm

Opposition MP, Ratu Suliano Matanitobua.

A witness in the trial of Opposition MP Ratu Suliano Matanitobua has testified that the MP was occupying a home at Fletcher Road in Vatuwaqa, Suva.

Sharon Ali, an employee of Energy Fiji Limited told the court that 18 electricity bills sent to the MP between January 2019 and June 2020 had his residential in Vatuwaqa.

She says the account holder of the electrical meter box is Ratu Suliano, and the bill fluctuated, indicating that the house in Vatuwaqa was occupied.

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The witness also says EFL records show that Ratu Suliano’s residence at Veivatuloa village in Namosi did not purchase electricity in 2014 and in 2015 only used electricity for a few months.

Ali claims this may indicate that the MP’s home in Veivatuloa Village was unoccupied.

Ali told the court that as of 2016, the property was incurring electricity bills every month indicating the premises was occupied.

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 and obtained more than $38,300 between August 2019 and April 2020.

The trial will continue in the Anti-Corruption Court in Suva this afternoon.