A former Assistant Court Officer at the Judicial Department appeared in the Suva Magistrates Court this afternoon facing corruption related offence.
Keven Kalpesh Chand is charged with one count of soliciting and accepting an advantage.
It is alleged that he received $1, 000 from Amit Amitesh Chaudhary.
Chand’s lawyer, Abhay Singh made an application for name suppression on the grounds that his client’s wife is pregnant and is going through depression and his grandparents are sickly who are not aware of his charges.
FICAC Counsel Joseph Work objected to this application using relevant case authority.
The name suppression application was refused by Magistrate Usaia Ratuvili who said that no compelling reason was given and that it was up to the accused to inform his family.
Chand was released on bail bond of $500 and has been ordered to report to Nausori Police Station every Saturday.
A stop departure has also been imposed on him and he has been ordered to surrender his traveling documents to court by tomorrow.
The matter has been adjourned to 9th October for plea.
