Orders prosecution to file ‘victim impact report’
The Office of the Director of Prosecution (DPP) has been given would next Monday to file a Victim Impact Report in order for Judge Justice Salesi Temo to make his sentence ruling for Chinese businessman, Aidong Zhang.
Justice Temo said “it is customary for cases as this, that a victim impact report be made available, indicating what the complainant is going on about.”
The State had indicated that the complainant is back in China and is in contact with them. Aidong Zhang is charged with one count each of obtaining property by deception and of money laundering.
De Xin International Trading Investment Co. Ltd is now operating from the building.
The court found that between June 1, 2014, and September 30, 2014, Zhang obtained by deception the property at 148 Waimanu Road (former RB Patel Supermarket).
It was purchased for $5,500,000, and Zhang dishonestly obtained $1,240,740.74 belonging to a Yong Chen with the intention of permanently depriving the said Yong Chen of the $1,240,740.74.
The court also found Zhang between September 3, 2014, and January 5, 2016, in Suva, engaged directly or indirectly in transactions involving an ANZ Bank Account to the total sum of $1,240,740.74. These were the proceeds of a crime.
Defence attorney Iqbal Khan had asked the court that his client be given bail in the meantime. Justice Salesi Temo has said that “he does not want to look stupid if he (Chinese businessman) was given bail and that he runs away”. “There are a lot of Chinese boats in our wharves and I do not want to risk your client running away. I do not want that on my plate,” he said.
The matter has been adjourned to September 23.