The Suva High Court trial involving the 13-million US dollar Fiji agriculture ministry scam has been told that the former head of the ministry received kickbacks.
Peniasi Kunatuba is facing two counts of abuse of office for allowing the scam to take place.
Radio Legend reports that Inspector Raj Kumar, who headed the investigation after Inspector Nasir Ali was removed, told the court that Kunatuba received a cheque for almost 3-thousand-600 US dollars.
The cheque was given to him by the general manager of the farming section of Morris Hedstroms, Pita Alifereti.
Inspector Kumar said Alifereti allegedly told police that the cheque was given to Kunatuba for allowing open Local Purchase Orders (LPOs) to be issued for goods bought from Morris Hedstroms.
But Kunatuba has denied this, saying Morris Hedstroms is a reputable company and would never stoop so low.
Inspector Ali said Kunatuba had told police that many open Local Purchase Orders were issued in a system that had been developed with companies for the purchase and delivery of goods.
The High Court was told that while Kunatuba's limit for authorising payment was 6-thousand US dollars, he had issued many cheques for up to 78-thousand US dollars.
In all, 222-thousand US dollars was paid to Morris Hedstroms in 12 days with no confirmation that any of the goods were delivered.
