The suspended Assistant Commissioner of Corrections Salote Panapasa

The suspended Assistant Commissioner of Corrections Salote Panapasa has elected to be tried in the Suva Magistrates Court.

Panapasa appeared before Magistrate Krishnan Prasad yesterday, charged with two counts of abuse of office and an alternative count of general dishonesty causing a loss.

It is alleged that between 1st August 2023 and 30th October 2023, the accused allegedly committed an arbitrary act of abuse of authority, whereby she instructed Fiji Corrections Service officers to facilitate the use of building materials for her private residence.

Also, it is alleged that between 1st August 2023 and 31st October 2023, Panapasa allegedly altered a weekly report to justify the use of the building materials for her private residence.

The accused has been served with the second phase of disclosures by prosecution, and her bail has been extended by the court.

The matter has been adjourned, for mention for plea, to July 26.