The former Director Finance with the Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts appeared at the Suva Magistrates Court on Thursday charged by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) with one count of Abuse of Office.
It is alleged between 11 February 2019 and 31 December 2019, Sukhendra Donish Lal whilst being the Director Finance within the Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts, did arbitrary acts in abuse of the authority of his office, namely facilitating the encashing of a Chinese Funded Grant for Special Education via Accountable Advance without following due processes, which was prejudicial to the rights of Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts.
Acting Senior State Counsel Joseph Work informed the Court that the first phase of disclosures has been served.
Resident Magistrate Seini Puamau granted non-cash bail bond of $10,000 and ordered Lal not to re-offend whilst on bail.
Lal was also ordered not to interfere with prosecution witnesses, not to change his residential address without first informing the Court and to surrender his travel documents to the Court.
The matter has been adjourned to 2 February.
