BY JENNIFER KUSAPA
THE court will today hear the bail application made by the defence lawyer representing the former Permanent Secretary (PS) for the Ministry of Police, National Security and Correctional Services Edmond Sikua.
After he was sentenced to two years imprisonment last Friday, the defence lawyer informed the court that they will apply for bail while pending the appeal on the case.
Defence lawyer on behalf of the accused appealed his client’s conviction.
This is the case where Sikua has been found guilty of three counts of official corruption involving more than $250,000.
Magistrate Taeburi said Sikua and other like-mined offenders must appreciate that corrupt practices are not tolerated in all levels of the society in both the public service and the private sector.
She said that there is a need for the courts to be involved in the fight against corruption.
Therefore considering all the factors and mitigating submission on the case she imposed a sentence for count 2- official corruption two years, count 3-official corruption two years and count 3- official corruption two years.
Sikua was on trial for seven counts of official corruption, an offence that carries a penalty of seven years imprisonment.
However he was only found guilty on three charges while the other four he was acquitted of.
This was for allegedly awarding government tenders worth $630,436.50 to Beeds Investment in 2015 and 2016, a company registered and owned by his two daughters.
It was also alleged that in 2015 and 2016 Beeds Investments responded to calls for tenders and was awarded business contracts for service delivery to the Ministry of Police, National Security and Correctional Services on seven different occasions.
Prosecution had called 16 witnesses and tendered by consent exhibits while Sikua defended himself giving sworn evidence where he denied those allegations.
He had told court in his defence that he did not financially benefit from the payments as the company was owned by his daughters.
Sikua was the third public officer to have been arrested by Janus, since the establishment of the joint task-force in August 2016.
