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Former WAF Engineer found guilty of Bribery

Posted by Media Team 04 December 2024

A former senior engineer at the Water Authority of Fiji has been found guilty of corruption by the Suva Magistrates Court.

Mohammed Shafraaz Ali was convicted for the charge of One (1) Count of bribery.

Between 1 March 2017 and 30 June 2017, whilst employed at WAF as Regional Engineer Bulk, Ali accepted an advantage in the form of a Fiji Airways return air ticket to Sydney, Australia, worth $1430.60.

The advantage was paid on 21 March 2017 by Sphynx Solutions Pte Limited on account of Ali performing an act in his capacity as a public servant.

In delivering the judgement, Resident Magistrate Jeremaia Savou says that the accused as per the agreed facts has made certain agreements, including that he was employed as a public servant, he had travelled from Nadi to Sydney on 23 March 2017 and returned on 31 March 2017 and that this travel was paid for ($1430.60) by Sphynx Solutions.

It was also an agreed fact that Ali had made multiple requests for the supply of repair clamps, non-slam check valves, Viking joints Maxlift Joiner, rubber expansion joints, rubber joints, 250mm Actuator Valve and 12” Rubber Expansion joints for multiple pumps and pipes at multiple sites administered by the Water Authority of Fiji.

All his requests led to purchase orders being raised by Sphynx Solutions and ultimately the purchase and supply of the requested items from Sphynx Solution by the Authority.

Magistrate Savou says in consideration of the mentioned facts, the Court accepts that the Prosecution has proved all the elements of the charged offense.

The Court will now await mitigation submissions from the accused or his counsel and sentencing submissions from the Prosecution.