Former diplomat and Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Solo Mara.

A former Fijian Ambassador and Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Solo Mara has pleaded not guilty to the two charges laid against him.

Mara was been charged by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption in January with one count each of Disobedience of Lawful Order and Giving False or Misleading Information.

FICAC State Counsel informed the court that there were partial admissions in Mara’s Caution Interview and that prosecution will be relying on that.

Chief Magistrate Usaia Ratuvili adjourned the matter to 30 June to fix a hearing date.

Mara’s second matter where he is charged with one count each of Obtaining a Financial Advantage and Causing a Loss was also adjourned to the same date for plea.

He is alleged to have caused payments to be made to himself from the Washington Embassy funds amounting to FJD$38,481.17 between September 2016 and October 2017, while serving as the Fijian Ambassador to the United States of America.