The Attorney-General, Graham Leung, has rejected allegations that he served as a referee for FICAC Commissioner Barbara Malimali. He dismissed assertions made by Savenaca Narube, the former governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji and leader of the Unity Fiji Party, regarding his role in endorsing Malimali’s application for the FICAC position. Leung clarified that he was neither informed nor did he consent to being a referee for her candidacy.
“I was appointed in June, and she would have applied shortly after that,” Leung stated. “Why would I jeopardize my integrity as a lawyer by endorsing someone to whom I would be subordinate?”
Leung noted that accusations from individuals like Mr. Chaudhry and Mr. Narube regarding his involvement as a referee are unfounded. He emphasized that he had no prior knowledge of being a referee for Malimali or any other candidates.
Furthermore, he mentioned that he has not reviewed Malimali’s application, which is only submitted to the Judicial Services Commission, the body responsible for appointing the FICAC Commissioner.
Leung is among several political figures involved in the discussions surrounding Malimali’s appointment. Earlier in the week, Malimali strongly denied being politically appointed and insisted that her position would not interfere with ongoing FICAC investigations, including cases involving alleged misconduct by several government ministers.