O’Connor Charged with Using State Resources

Three counts of prohibition on use of state resources to campaign.

FijiFirst candidate, Alexander O’Connor appeared at the Anti-Corruption Magistrates Court in Suva yesterday.

Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption has charged O’Connor with three counts of prohibition on use of state resources to campaign.

For the first count, it is alleged that O’Connor on or about November 23, 2022, at Tukavesi in the Northern Division, conducted campaign activities and distributed campaign materials namely FijiFirst candidate flyers bearing the candidate number 252 inside a public office namely the Tukavesi Health Centre.

For the second count, it is alleged that O’Connor on or about November 23, 2022, at Bagasau in the Northern Division, conducted campaign activities and distributed campaign materials namely FijiFirst candidate flyers bearing the candidate number 252 inside a public office namely the Bugasau Health Centre.

For the third count, it is alleged that O’Connor on or about November 23, 2022, at Naduri in the Northern Division, conducted campaign activities and distributed campaign materials namely FijiFirst candidate flyers bearing the candidate number 252 inside a public office namely the Naduri Health Centre.

The Supervisor of Elections (SoE) Mohammed Saneem last month had referred O’Connor to the FICAC for probable breach of Section 113 (3), (4), and 141 of the Electoral Act 2014.

Disclosures

Yesterday, FICAC counsel Joseph Work and Daren Hicks informed the court that the first phase of disclosures was served to O’Connor.

Defence counsel Loqi Cati confirmed to the court receiving the disclosures.

Mr Work sought 21 days to file and serve the second phase of disclosures and made an application for the matter to be transferred to the Anti-Corruption Magistrates Court in Savusavu.

Bail

Mr Work did not object to O’Connor’s bail, however; he sought strict bail conditions, a stop departure order, and a reporting condition.

Magistrate Sherlyn Kiran granted bail to O’Connor on a personal bail bond of $750.

His two sureties, FINTEL chief executive officer George Samisoni and O’Connor’s daughter signed a surety bond each of $750.

O’Connor was ordered not to interfere with witnesses, not to change his address, and not to reoffend while on bail.

He was ordered to reside at a fixed residential address and report to the Lautoka Police Station every last Friday of the month.

A stop departure order has been issued against O’Connor effective immediately and he has been ordered to surrender all his travel documents.

O’Connor has been ordered to attend all his court dates.

The matter will be called on February 17 at the Anti-Corruption Magistrates Court in Savusavu.