News

FICAC charges two men in FRA tender scam

Posted by Media Team 27 October 2025

Two men have been charged with corruption-related offences in the Suva Magistrates Court.

Ripon Baral, a former Manager Project Controls at the Fiji Roads Authority (FRA), has been charged by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) with one count of Abuse of Office, one count of Falsification of Documents and one count of Bribery.

Aktar Ali has been charged with one count of Bribery.

It is alleged that between 1 October 2017 and 31 January 2018, while employed by the FRA, Mr. Baral prepared a Tender Submission Bid on behalf of Naboutini Transport for a project involving the construction of seven footpaths in the Western Division.

Mr. Baral is alleged to have dishonestly falsified the Tender Submission Bid for Naboutini Transport.

Mr. Ali is alleged to have offered certain advantages to Mr. Baral as an inducement or reward for, or otherwise on account of, Mr. Baral performing or abstaining from performing an act in his capacity as a public servant.

The two accused appeared before Resident Magistrate Shageeth Somaratne.

FICAC Counsel Lilian Mausio informed the Court that First Phase disclosures had been served to both accused persons.

She further stated that the prosecution did not object to bail but requested that strict bail conditions be imposed.

Resident Magistrate Somaratne granted non-cash bail to both accused and issued a Stop Departure Order.

The Court also ordered that both men surrender their travel documents, not to interfere with State witnesses, not to change their residential addresses, and report to their nearest FICAC office once a month.

The matter has been adjourned to 6 November 2025 for Second Phase disclosures and for the defence to elect whether the case will be heard in the Magistrates’ Court or the High Court.

Hemendra Nagin of Sherani & Co. represented Mr. Baral, while Parmendra Sharma of Law Parmendra represented Mr. Ali.