Carpenters Fiji Managing Director Daniel Whippy and former National Fire Authority former Board Chair John O’Connor have been released under strict bail conditions by the Magistrates Court in Suva.
Both O’Connor and Whippy have been charged by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption and appeared before Resident Magistrate Krishan Prasad, this afternoon.
O’Connor is charged with one count of abuse of office, while Whippy is charged with one count of counselling for the omission of the offence.
It is alleged between 1st January and 28th September 2018, O’Connor whilst being employed in the Civil Service as the Chair of the National Fire Authority Board, in abuse of the authority of his office, did an arbitrary act, namely directing the officers of the NFA to amend the findings in their 30th April 2018 fire investigation report, for the fire that occurred on the April 8th, 2018 at the MH Warehouse located at Walu Bay, which was an act prejudicial to the rights of the NFA for the purposes of gain.
It is alleged that Whippy counselled O’Connor for the commission of the offence.
FICAC lawyers have served the first phase of disclosures and have requested 28 days to serve further disclosures.
The charges were read out to both the accused.
O’Connor and Whippy have elected for the matter to he heard in the Magistrates Court.
The Court has ordered that both the accused to surrender their passports and a stop departure order has been issued.
They have also been ordered not to interfere with FICAC’s witness.
The matter has been adjourned to 27 March before Magistrate Seini Puamau for second phase of disclosures.
