Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Nancy Tikoisuva has emphasized that the ongoing legal proceedings against former attorney-general Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and former supervisor of elections Mohammed Saneem transcend typical employment disputes. During her closing arguments presented at the High Court in Suva last Friday, Tikoisuva characterized the allegations as embodying serious concerns of corrupt intent and bad faith.
The prosecution alleges that the case includes a second Deed of Variation that was executed without adherence to proper constitutional protocols, which unjustly benefited Saneem during his tenure in a high-ranking public role. Sayed-Khaiyum is charged with abuse of office occurring between June 30 and July 21, 2022, while Saneem is accused of accepting a corrupt benefit exceeding $50,000 during a similar timeframe.
Tikoisuva argued that the defendants knowingly ignored lawful procedures and that Saneem’s directive to the staff at the Fijian Elections Office (FEO) to destroy all copies of the first Deed warranted meticulous judicial review. She pointed out that while seeking benefits is generally commonplace, the circumstances under which these benefits were solicited denote a corrupt nature, thereby distinguishing this case from typical employment grievances.
In defense, attorney Devanesh Sharma sought to have the charges dismissed, asserting that Sayed-Khaiyum acted within legal bounds according to constitutional guidelines. He presented Saneem’s grievances regarding tax deductions from his salary as stemming from legitimate fiscal strategies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic rather than from any corrupt actions.
Sharma highlighted that the reimbursements made to Saneem were merely rectifications of amounts that had been improperly withheld, positing that the situation was less about criminal conduct and more an employment issue.
The trial continues to raise significant issues surrounding accountability and governance practices in Fiji. Chief Justice Temo is expected to deliver a ruling on the matter on February 2, 2026. As the case unfolds, it provokes crucial discussions on public sector transparency and ethical conduct, potentially setting significant precedents for governance standards going forward. The examination of these core issues may play an essential role in influencing public confidence in Fiji’s institutional practices and electoral systems.