Whippy’s Lawyer Refers to FICAC Pretends ‘Hogwash'

The lawyer for Carpenters Fiji Limited’s managing director, Daniel Whippy, has called the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) lawyer’s information “hogwash.”

This comes after FICAC lawyer, Sera Fatafehi, told the court that Stem cell procedure was available locally.

Whippy, who currently faces abuse of office charges, appeared before Magistrate Sufia Hamza yesterday afternoon to hear the responses that FICAC had on his application for bail variation.

Whippy applied to have his bail conditions varied as he wanted to travel to the United States of America for a stem cell procedure on his knee.

As of yesterday, FICAC lawyer Fatafehi told the court they had two affidavits to support their objection, both of which were filed in court.

She referred to a FICAC Investigation Officer and Doctor Alvin De Asa, an orthopedic at the Nasese Private Hospital.

She argued in court that the IO’s affidavits gave reasons for his objection to his travel while Dr De Asa gave a second opinion that he could be treated locally.

Whippy’s lawyer, Suruj Sharma objected to the doctor’s affidavit saying that although he hasn’t perused the affidavit, he said the affidavits were completely silent on the stem cell procedure which was the gist of their application.

He said in court the Stem Cell Procedure was an invasive one that was only available in the United States and Ms Fatafehi had not provided any affidavit to challenge that.

Ms Fatafehi said she couldn’t confirm if there were surgeons available locally to conduct this procedure, however they had found a surgeon who would soon return to Suva and who was willing to have his statement taken.

Magistrate Hamza told Ms Fatafehi that seven days should’ve been enough time for her to file her affidavit, especially when the application was dealing with this particular surgery.

While apologising, Ms Fatafehi said the treatment was a rare one in the country and that finding a doctor specialist took time.

After granting FICAC seven days, Mr Sharma stood up and reminded the court that his client was in constant agony as his knee problem was affecting his day-to-day movement.

He said Ms Fatafehi didn’t even tell him about any objections they would have as she had told him after the last sitting.

She has been given until Thursday to file the affidavits after which the hearing will then be heard on November 6.

Whippy was excused from the court sitting on Thursday.

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