The Anti-Corruption High Court will deliver its ruling on former SODELPA parliamentarian Salote Radrodro’s Motion in Arrest of Judgment today.

Radrodro has been found guilty and convicted of giving false information to a public servant and of obtaining financial advantage.

Radrodro breached the Parliamentary Remuneration Act of 2014 when she claimed travel and accommodation allowances she was not entitled to amounting to $37,921.13 between June 2019 and April 2020.

She falsely stated to the Parliament in a Member of Parliament Declaration Form that her permanent place of residence was in Namulomulo Village, Nabouwalu, Bua, which was more than 30 kilometres away from the Parliament.

Radrodro through her lawyer Simione Valenitabua filed a Motion in Arrest of Judgment seeking the following orders:

• That Radrodro as convicted be discharged from the information upon which the court passed judgment against her on September 6 on the ground that the information as amended did no, state any offence which the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court, had power to try for the following reasons:

i. Radrodro as a MP is immune from legal proceedings pursuant to Section 3 of the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act 1965; and

ii. Both offences in the information are summary offences triable in the Magistrates Court Anti-Corruption Division pursuant to Section 2 headed Interpretation and Section 4(1)(c) of the Criminal Procedure Act 2009.

• And for any other order the court deemed just and expedient.

Story by: ashna.kumar@fijisun.com.fj