The lead Defence Counsel in the case for former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho, Davnesh Sharmar is expected to file a no case to answer submission with the Suva Magistrates Court this morning.
The matter will be called before Resident-Magistrate Seini Puamau at 12 noon.
Sharma is expected to file a no case to answer written submission, where he said that the Office of the Public of Prosecution’s case has not met the threshold.
The Acting Director of Public Prosecution Ratu David Toganivalu is expected to make verbal submissions in response to the defence application.
Bainimarama is charged with a count of attempt to pervert the course of justice, while Qiliho is charged with a count of abuse of office.
It is alleged that Bainimarama sometime in July 2020 as the Prime Minister directed the Police Commissioner to stop the investigation into a police complaint, in the abuse of the authority of his office, which was an arbitrary act prejudicial to the rights of the University of the South Pacific which is the complainant.
It is alleged that Qiliho on the 15th of July 2020 as the Police Commissioner directed the Director of the Criminal Investigations Department, Serupepeli Neiko and Inspector Reshmi Dass to stop investigations into the police complaint by the USP, in the abuse of the authority of his office, which was arbitrary act of prejudicial to the rights to USP.
Bainimarama and Qiliho are represented by R Patel Lawyers Devanesh Sharma and Gul Fatima while Acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Ratu David Toganivalu and Nimisha Shankar are representing the State.
