Dakuidreketi, Bakani in court

Former General Manager of Native Land Trust Board, Kalivati Bakani and former NLTB Director and Chairman of the Vanua Development Corporation, Keni Dakuidreketi appeared before High Court judge, Justice Janaka Bandara today in relation to their corruption case.

Former Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, who is also charged for corruption, was not in court today as he is currently in Mavana.

Qarase is charged with two counts of abuse of office while Bakani and Dakuidreketi are charged with four counts of fraudulent conversion. Bakani also faces one count of abuse of office.

It is alleged that the trio conspired to transfer ownership and control of the Extinct Mataqali Funds in 2002 without proper approvals of the NLTB and the Fijian Affairs Board.

It is also alleged that Bakani and Dakuidreketi fraudulently converted a government grant into operational costs in 2005.

The case will be recalled on June 26.