Former Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum

Former Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum appeared in the Suva Magistrates Court this morning for the first time following his medical procedure in Singapore.

The court has reinstated all bail conditions imposed on Sayed-Khaiyum, including reporting to the police station every last Saturday of the month.

Sayed-Khaiyum is charged with one count of abuse of office.

It is alleged that on June 30th and July 12th of 2022, while serving as the Acting Prime Minister, Sayed-Khaiyum signed a Deed of Variation and Addendum between the government and the then Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem.

The allegation is that the approval to pay Saneem’s taxes was done without the proper approval of the Constitutional Officers Commission and the President.

This morning, Acting Director of Public Prosecution John Rabuku appeared for the state.

Rabuku confirmed in court that Deputy DPP Elizabeth Rice has handed the case over to him, and he also indicated not having all the documents ready.

The Acting DPP stated that there are 23 witnesses and more than 70 documents in the disclosure, so the parties need to sit down and discuss pre-trial conference issues.

The hearing was brief and adjourned to the 19th of March for a pre-trial conference.