Registrar of Political Parties, Mohammed Saneem confirms that a complaint lodged to the Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption regarding the National Federation Party has been withdrawn.

This comes as Saneem had earlier highlighted that a certain issue within the breaches of the NFP’s 2018 audit accounts had been referred to FICAC.

Saneem explained that the incident involved NFP receiving funds from a company directly in the Party’s bank account and NFP responded informing the Fijian Elections Office that the amount has been fully refunded.

“That was the only complaint that we had made to FICAC and that is the one that we have withdrawn. Once the audited accounts come in we will consider if there are any other matters to be reported.”

Saneem says they have identified other various discrepancies in the 2018 audited report.

“Issues range from failing to issue receipts, allowing and possibly using funds received by the party in breach of the law, failing to record fundraising activities carried out by the party and misstating accounts of the party. Some amounts as highlighted previously are material and by any standard, some discrepancies are to the value of over $100,000.”

One of the main concerns for the Registrar of Political Parties is that the NFP allegedly failed or neglected to issue receipts for amounts that add up to $131,578.

He says it is also questionable how the NFP was able to compile the list of donations two years later without the receipts.

“The party explained that receipts were not issued as monies were directly deposited into the party bank account. So we verified the bank account and bank statements. We found that $92, 272 worth of monies still remains without any form of verification from the bank deposits.”

Saneem says the party has confirmed that there are no other recording mechanisms within the party if receipts were not issued.

He says NFP now has to appoint an independent auditor that is duly registered with Fiji Institute of Accountants except Parkers Chartered Accountants Fiji PTE Limited or any persons engaged in the same firm or company within seven days of the letter to the NFP, to carry out the independent audit of the political party’s accounts for the year 2018.

The notice of the appointment must be furnished to the Registrar on or before 4pm next Friday.

NFP also has to submit the audited financial report as required under the Political Parties Act within 30 days of the appointment of the auditor.