Mollyn Nakabea 
FICAC Acting Legal Manager Joseph Work [Photo: Mollyn Nakabea]
Resident Magistrate Yogesh Prasad blasted the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption this morning for introducing a new witness and additional documents in the case against former Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad.
The new witness is former Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem.
The former Deputy Prime Minister is facing allegations that he provided the Registrar of Political Parties with his declaration of assets, liabilities and income as at December 31, 2015, without declaring his directorship in a company.
It is alleged that, as an officeholder of the National Federation Party, he failed to comply with statutory disclosure requirements by not declaring the directorship.
Magistrate Prasad was caught by surprise when FICAC Acting Manager Joseph Work informed the court that Saneem would take the witness stand.
Work said FICAC could still introduce the additional disclosures during the trial.
He said Saneem could not be introduced earlier because he was unavailable while dealing with another matter before the court.
Defence lawyer Richard Naidu questioned the need for another witness, asking what difference Saneem’s evidence would make, given that no new information had been filed and another witness had already testified on similar grounds.
Submissions from both parties on the new disclosure is expected to be heard this afternoon.
The ruling will be delivered tomorrow.
