Sayed-Khaiyum, Saneem take stand in High Court trial

Defence lawyer Devanesh Sharma told the High Court in Suva this morning that his clients will take the stand in their ongoing trial.

Former Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum was the first to give evidence, recounting the events of 2022 when he signed Mohammed Saneem’s Deeds of Variation, which outlined changes to the former Supervisor of Elections’ salary and tax deductions.

Sayed-Khaiyum faces one count of abuse of office for allegedly signing a Deed of Variation and Addendum between the Government of Fiji and Saneem while he was Acting Prime Minister in 2021.

Saneem, meanwhile, is charged with one count of receiving a corrupt benefit, after allegedly receiving $55,944.03 in back pay as a result of the transaction.