Riyaz and Sagar plea further deferred to April 1st

Former Fiji Broadcasting Corporation CEO Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and Chief Financial Officer Vimlesh Sagar's plea has been further deferred to April 1st.

Sayed-Khaiyum and Sagar appeared before Magistrate Krishan Prasad this afternoon.

Sayed-Khaiyum is charged with one count of abuse of office and one count of general dishonesty causing a loss while Vimlesh Sagar is charged with one count of general dishonesty – causing a loss.

The incidents are alleged to have occurred between September 1st and November 1st 2022.

It is alleged that between 1st July 2017 to 31st January 2023 while being employed as the CEO of FBC Sayed-Khaiyum abused his office, and did arbitrary acts namely initiating five legal proceedings on behalf of FBC without the knowledge and approval of the Board of Directors which amounted to $138,813.

It is also alleged that between 1st July to 31st January 2023, Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum dishonestly caused a loss to FBC by pursuing legal cases which were not in the interest of the company amounting to $138,813 knowing that the loss would occur or that there was a substantial risk that the loss would occur to FBC.

In separate cases, Sayed-Khaiyum is charged with one count of abuse of office and one count of general dishonesty – causing a loss while Sagar is charged with one count of general dishonesty – causing a loss.

They allegedly circumvented the tender process in FBC's finance manual in purchasing the CEO's vehicle, a 3.0L Volkswagen Tourag.

It is also alleged that obtaining the vehicle caused FBC a total loss of $84,470.

The incidents are alleged to have occurred between September 1st and November 11th in 2022.