Panapasa: I acted on officer’s recommendation

Former Acting Commissioner of the Fiji Corrections Service Salote Panapasa has maintained that building materials allegedly diverted for the renovation of her Kinoya home were used on the recommendation of a subordinate.
Panapasa took the stand yesterday afternoon to give evidence in her defence in a case where she faces charges of abuse of office and an alternative charge of general dishonesty causing a loss.
In her examination-in-chief, Panapasa told the court she received a verbal confidential report from Officer in Charge of the Emergency Control Unit Maika Ciqo about an encrypted emergency code confiscated from a high-risk prisoner.
She said the report contained a list of names and numbers, one of which belonged to her.
Panapasa said she felt threatened after several incidents in which people drove past her home hurling threats and abuse.
“I have children and grandchildren who were all females, I felt threatened,” she said.
She told the court Ciqo’s only recommendation to her was to complete the fence around her home.
Panapasa said she acted on that recommendation and had checked the building materials before using them.
She said Staff Officer Building Ioane Bulivou had given her the go-ahead to use the materials, telling her they were leftovers from fence construction at the Veiuto grounds.
The court heard that the materials had been purchased through the FCS staff welfare fund and were leftover cut-outs after the Ministry of Lands determined that the construction had crossed into another property.
Panapasa said she learned of the allegations through social media before Ministry of Finance internal audit personnel member Ana Waqanisavu sought a meeting with her.
She said during the meeting on October 18, 2023, she followed Waqanisavu’s instructions to have Ciqo’s verbal entail reports, weekly reports, night patrol operations and other information collated and provided for investigation.
Panapasa said she instructed her then legal officer, Filipe Bainivalu to organise the documents before she left for a one-week trip to Belgium, followed by a two-day trip to Vietnam.
She told the court she expected a report from Bainivalu, but he did not attend their scheduled meeting.
Panapasa said she received a letter from the Constitutional Offices Commission on November 28, 2023, which included a four-page complaint by Bainivalu alleging that she had ordered the diversion of the materials and alterations to weekly reports.
During cross-examination, Panapasa disputed the defence evidence suggesting there had been recommendations for her to move into FCS staff quarters.
She said Ciqo called her almost every day with updates about the threat but never recommended that she move into the staff quarters.
Panapasa maintained that although she was serving as Acting Commissioner, she was not entitled to additional benefits, including a lodging or housing allowance.
She said the lodging allowance listed on her payslip related to benefits from her substantive position as Assistant Commissioner Operations.
FICAC called 11 witnesses, while the defence called one.
The court is scheduled to hear submissions on October 22 before delivering its judgment on October 8.