Former Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem (left), Former Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum [File Photo]

The Suva Magistrates Court will hear the consolidation application and strike out application next month in relation to a matter involving former Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and former Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem.

The matter was called before the Suva Magistrates Court today.

In an earlier court sitting, Acting Director of Public Prosecution Nancy Tikoisuva had informed the court about the application made to consolidate the charge against Sayed-Khaiyum and Saneem and the application made by Saneem to strike out the charge against him.

The hearing on state’s application for consolidation of the charges and on the defense’s section 290 application relating to invalidity of the charges and alleged breaches of human rights will be heard on 25 September.

The state has been given time to respond to the affidavit by 17th September.

In this matter, Sayed-Khaiyum faces a charge of abuse of office.

It is alleged that he authorized the government to pay taxes for former Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem without the required approval from the Constitutional Offices Commission and the President.

Former Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem is charged with receiving a corrupt benefit.

It is alleged that while serving as Supervisor of Elections between June 1, 2022, and July 31, 2022, he unlawfully solicited and received a benefit exceeding $50,000 in deductible tax relief on his back pay from a senior government official for personal gain.