Fiji’s former Attorney General and Minister for Civil Aviation, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, has been charged with 44 counts, including multiple allegations of unlawful carriage of firearms on aircraft.
He is charged alongside former Fiji Airways executives Shaenaz Voss and Sharun Ali plus Fiji Airlines T/A Fiji Link, who collectively face 66 counts stemming from allegations he allowed his military bodyguards to carry guns and bullets onto Fiji Link flights without proper authorisation.
Sayed-Khaiyum faces 11 counts each of unlawful carriage of firearms on aircraft, receiving a corrupt benefit, breach of trust as a public servant, and abuse of office. The allegations stem from incidents dating back to 2018.
According to an ODPP statement, Sayed-Khaiyum is accused of permitting firearms to be carried onboard flights between Nadi, Nausori, and Labasa, among other locations, during his tenure as a government minister. The charges claim he received corrupt benefits in connection with these actions, potentially influencing his duties as a public official.
Voss faces three counts of giving a corrupt benefit to a public official, while Ali has been charged with 11 counts of the same offence. Both are implicated in allowing the illegal transport of firearms on flights.
Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Nancy Tikoisuva sanctioned the charges against the trio.
Fiji Airlines, operating under the name Fiji Link, is also facing charges related to breaches of mandatory reporting and security protocols. The airline is accused of failing to report the unlawful carriage of firearms.
The accused individuals are set to appear in the Nadi Magistrates’ Court this afternoon.
