Naivakarurubalavu Solo Mara Photo: Fiji Govt
The fraud trials against a former Fiji diplomat begin in the Suva Magistrate's Court today.
Solo Mara who was ambassador to the United States at the time of the alleged offences, has two cases before the courts.
For the first case, Mara is charged by the anti-corruption commission with one count each of disobedience of lawful order and giving false or misleading information.
In the second case, Mara is facing charges of obtaining a financial advantage and causing a loss.
Mara, who is currently on bail, is alleged to have caused payments to be made to himself from the Washington Embassy funds amounting to almost $US19,000 between September 2016 and October 2017.