Former Director of Rabi Council Granted Bail
Former Rabi Council director Marlie Rota was produced at the Suva Magistrates Court yesterday morning to answer to abuse of office charges. Between December 1, 2011 and January 20, 2012 whilst being employed in the public service as an Executive Director with the Rabi Council of Leaders, Rota is alleged to have committed arbitrary acts for gain in abuse of the authority of her office.
She allegedly misappropriated the Rabi Investment Funds amounting to $54,984.66 which was prejudicial to the rights of the Banaban Trust Fund Board and the Rabi Council of Leaders. She is also charged with one count of dishonestly causing a loss.
Both counts are from the same alleged incident.
First phase disclosures were served to her in court and the charges were read to her and she admitted that she understood them.
Further her right to counsel was put to her and she opted for legal representation by the Legal Aid Commission.
Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption lawyer Francis Puleiwai appeared for the prosecution and did not object to bail, provided strict conditions were imposed by the Court. Magistrate Liyanage Wickramasekera granted the accused bail on the following conditions.
That she signs a $2000 personal bail bond with the court, produce a surety for $2000, ordered not to reoffend and interfere with prosecution witnesses.
She was also ordered not to change her current residential address without notifying the court first.
A stop departure order was issued by the court to prohibit the accused from leaving the country and she was ordered to surrender her travel documents to the court.
As part of her bail conditions, she was ordered to report to the Suva FICAC office on Fridays between 8am to 4pm.
The case has been adjourned to October 5 to give prosecution time to serve the accused with second phase disclosures.