Former A-G Sayed-Khaiyum defends Saneem’s pay rise in court

Former Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum defended the pay rise awarded to former Elections Supervisor Mohammed Saneem, saying it was well deserved, the High Court in Suva heard today.

He made the statement while taking the stand in the trial against him and Saneem, which relates to an alleged corrupt benefit awarded to Saneem in 2021. The duo appeared before Chief Justice Salesi Temo for the opening of the defence case.

Under examination, Sayed-Khaiyum said Saneem deserved the pay raise, having led two general elections while receiving the same salary since 2014.

He also told the court that the President did not have the financial capacity to pay Saneem, which led to the Prime Minister, who also chairs the Constitutional Offices Commission, being entrusted with handling Saneem’s contract.

Sayed-Khaiyum added that all of Saneem’s benefits and allowances required approval from the Electoral Commission, and that the new clause was already recorded in the COC meeting minutes.

The charges relate to an unauthorised $55,944 tax benefit connected to a Replacement Deed of Variation signed in June 2022. The clause required the government to cover additional tax on Saneem’s back pay after his salary was increased to $350,000.

The case was adjourned to tomorrow as the duo’s lawyer had to attend another court case for a separate client.