SODELPA Member of Parliament Niko Nawaikula has claimed that the caucus clerk had entered inconsistent dates on his allowance claim forms.

This is on the 10th day of his trial. Nawaikula told the court that he had signed the forms and gave acquittals to the caucus clerk to fill out the GP 21 and GP 8 forms for allowance claims.

He said his intentions were to claim his reimbursements.

Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) deputy commissioner and senior counsel Rashmi Aslam asked Nawaikula whether he was blaming his caucus clerk.

Nawaikula said yes.

Mr Aslam then asked Nawaikula how he could blame the clerk. Nawaikula said because he had trusted the clerk to do the right thing which he did not.

He said he was entitled to his refunds for any day. He said he paid for it and he should be refunded as entitled.

Mr Aslam then pointed out to Nawaikula that he was being dishonest and aggressive.

Nawaikula responded that Mr Aslam was wrong. Mr Aslam then put to Nawaikula that when his dishonesty and lies were exposed in the courtroom, Nawaikula came up with his defence saying it was a mistake.

Mr Aslam asked Nawaikula if he created Facebook posts to openly show that he was staying at hotels in Suva, in relation to the post Nawaikula made in July 2020, which Mr Aslam said Nawaikula created after he knew he was under investigations by FICAC.

Nawaikula said he stayed there often and clients would put him up at the hotel when handling their cases, and that when he came to Suva, he would always stop at Koronivia to see his family.

Nawaikula said he had the right to be remunerated for his work as an MP and for staying at his Koronivia residence while attending Parliament sittings.

He said someone had to pay him for his service and that his applications for accommodation and travelling allowances were made as stipulated by law.

The MP said he had also applied for accommodation and travelling reimbursements and the parliament clerks paid him which was done in accordance with the law.