Former FijiFirst Member of Parliament, Vijendra Prakash’s son tells court Omkar Road in Nasinu was still a home for his father.

Prakash is charged by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) with one count each of false information to a public servant and obtaining financial advantage.

He is alleged to have obtained financial advantages in breach of the Parliamentary Remunerations Act of 2014.

Prakash is alleged to have falsely stated that his permanent place of residence was in Waidracia, Vunidawa, Nabuni, Naluwai, Naitasiri, and allegedly obtained $33,670 between August 2019 and March 2020.

The trial is presided over by the Anti-Corruption High Court Judge Justice Dr Thushara Kumarage.

Dulaar Testimony

Prakash’s son, Rishil Dulaar, took the stand as defence witness on Wednesday.

He told the court that Prakash had moved back to Vunidawa, Naitasiri, in 2009 after his retirement.

He said Prakash lived in Vunidawa and would make regular trips to Suva to drop off produce from and pick up supplies for his farms.

He also said from 2018, his father would travel from Vunidawa daily to Parliament, stopping at the Omkar Road house to drop off produce to be sold at his dairy shop.

Mr Dulaar said Prakash would stop by there on the way back to Vunidawa in the evening, pick up some dinner and then a driver would take him to Vunidawa so he could sleep in the vehicle on the way.

He said between 2009 and 2018, Prakash would spend two or three nights a week at Omkar Road and during the campaign period in 2018 this went down to six or seven nights a month.

He said his father carried on until the COVID-19 restrictions came into effect in April 2020.

FICAC Commissioner Rashmi

Aslam showed a printout of Mr Dulaar’s Facebook profile picture which was a flyer of Prakash during the 2018 General Elections campaign period.

Mr Dulaar said the flyer was given by the Party to the market.

Mr Aslam asked Mr Dulaar to read the flyer which said Prakash was from Naitasiri and “resides in Nasinu”.

Mr Aslam asked if the post that was shared stating Prakash resided in Nasinu was true.

Mr Dulaar said no, adding that the flyer was just a summary.

The Judge questioned the witness on where the party got their information from.

Mr Dulaar said he was not sure and neither did he know that his father had applied for a ticket.

He said whatever was given by the party to be shared, he did so.

Mr Dulaar was asked if he had corrected his father or anyone at the party about the information being wrong.

He said no adding at that time, it did not click to him.

Mr Aslam asked the witness if he said the flyer by the party was false.

Bokainima’s Testimony

Defence witness Ulamila Bokainima took stand yesterday and testified that she was working for Mr Dulaar at his dairy shop since 2018.

Ms Bokainima works for Dulaar’s dairy shop.

She said she had seen Prakash at Omkar Road only when Prakash was bringing the fresh farm produce over from Vunidawa to be sold at the market.

She said in September 2019, Prakash bought a white Mahindra vehicle which he used to bring his farm produce in.

Ms Bokainima told the court that Prakash was residing in Vunidawa in Naitasiri and she knew of this because she visited Vunidawa sometime this year.

In cross-examination, Ms Bokainima told the court that she did not recall when her wedding anniversary was or when was her husband’s birthday.

When questioned by Mr Aslam if the witness recalled any events from 2020 or 2021, Ms Bokainima told the court that she did not.

Mr Aslam then questioned her how she could recall Prakash buying a Mahindra vehicle in September 2019 but nothing of 2020, 2021, or 2022.

Ms Bokainima said she was working at the shop when Prakash purchased the vehicle.

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