Telecom Fiji (TFL)

News Summary:

Defence lawyer Devanesh Sharma argued in Suva Magistrates Court on May 25, 2026, that there is no case to answer in the abuse of office trial linked to Telecom Fiji Limited's (TFL) new headquarters and data centre project. Sharma contended that the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) failed to produce evidence showing former TFL director Sanjay Kaba improperly used confidential information, obtained while serving as a director, to benefit engineering firm HLK Jacob. Previously, on April 21, FICAC received approval to amend the charge against Kaba, specifically altering the date of the alleged offence and replacing the word "tender" with "Expression of Interest," an amendment that followed FICAC lawyer Nimisha Shankar's acknowledgment that Kaba resigned on December 7, 2018. On April 20, TFL's former Manager Treasury, Samuel Brown, and Financial Controller, Ashika Nandani, both confirmed that a payment of $766,327.22 made to Kaba's company, Houng Lee Kaba Jacob Limited, was legitimate, with Brown stating that Kaba had no control over the internal payment procedures. Concurrently, on April 2, Telecom Fiji began offering free fibre installation for customers in fibre-ready areas, allowing them to save $258.03 on standard setup costs, in response to the increasing demand for faster and more reliable home internet as more individuals work and study from home.