The former Minister for Works and Transport today took the stand in the trial of former Ministry of Works Media Liason Officer Sainiana Radrodro.
Timoci Natuva was questioned by FICAC lawyer, Rashmi Aslam about the contents of an email correspondence sent by Radrodro to him and the Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama.
Former Minister for Works and Transport Timoci Natuva today revealed in court that he had never directed anyone within the ministry at that time to get funding for their events.
Natuva said that there was a committee who had handled this.
FICAC Lawyer Rashmi Aslam asked Timoci Natuva if he had ever directed Sainiana Radrodro to seek sponsorship for farewell parties to which he replied NO.
Natuva also explained in court that when they secured any sponsership, a letter is usually sent back to the company to notify that sponsership has been received.
Aslam also presented an email in court today sent by Sainiana Radrodro to the Prime Minister and copied to Timoci Natuva which the subject read “I have committed some grave mistakes and please need help”.
Natuva read a couple of paragraphs from the email which stated “I used some funds from the sponserships that we secured and in some instances I used some money to pay my increasing debts.”
He also read excerpts from the email that Sainiana Radrodro sent in which she promised to pay the money back.
The amount stated in the email correspondence was $9,260.
But Radrodro disputed this amount back then.
She doesn’t however dispute the fact that she personally used a significant amount of money she took.
Meanwhile, Defence lawyer Akuila Naco cross examined Timoci Natuva later in the afternoon.
Naco asked Natuva if funds or sponsorship that the Ministry received were ever recorded which Natuva replied yes which was handled by the finance department.
Naco also asked Natuva if he used official records when FICAC asked him to go through some transactions and deposits or was it based on his memory.
Natuva replied this was through memory only.
The trial will continue tomorrow with the with cross-examination of Timoci Natuva.