A former Clerk of Parliament in the Cook Islands has told a trial involving the prime minister and his predecessor that politicians are always trying to push the boundaries.
A file photo of Tupuna Rakanui Photo: Daniela Maoate-Cox
The second day of the fraud trial of Mark Brown and former prime minister Henry Puna has ended with the prosecution granted permission to resume tomorrow with 15 more witnesses still waiting to take the stand.
Four witnesses have testifed so far in the trial over allegations that Brown and Puna misused public money by chartering flights from the outer islands to Rarotonga shortly after the 2018 elections so successful candidates could discuss forming a government.
The defence focus had been on whether it was a long-standing practice to bring candidates to Rarotonga after a general election.
The Cook Islands Civil List orders state that once Parliament was dissolved the entitlements of parliamentarians ceased - which included travel and allowances.
While the prosecution has gone to lengths to establish when the entitlements of parliamentarians ceased, there was still a lack of clarity over when entitlements, especially travel, started.
Tupuna Rakanui, who served in parliament for around 20 years, was shown numerous invoices and purchase orders for past domestic travel by MPs in court.
Rakanui said he would not have signed them as he felt they were in breach of the Civil List.
He added that "...the institute of parliament is always under pressure from politicians.
"Politicians always trying and pushing the boundaries to try and get privileges, especially when their privileges cease."
The trial continues tomorrow morning however if the case continues into next week it may have to be suspended to allow parliament to sit on Monday before resuming on Tuesday.