The Commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), Barbara Malimali, has filed a police complaint against Francis Pulewai, the former acting deputy commissioner. This information was confirmed by Acting Police Commissioner Juki Fong Chew.
The complaint addresses allegations of abuse of office concerning Pulewai’s alleged misuse of the commissioner’s authority while serving in an acting capacity. On September 5, Malimali was arrested and held at FICAC headquarters on her first day of work, an event that has sparked significant political controversy, leading to suggestions of a potential Board of Inquiry from Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka over the weekend.
Attempts by Fiji Sun to contact Malimali for comment yielded no response by the time of publication. Meanwhile, Pulewai stated she had not been informed about the complaint, having departed for Australia shortly after her resignation.
Rabuka indicated earlier in the week that he had not yet received a formal resignation letter from Malimali. However, he later confirmed on his official Facebook page that Malimali had resigned as Chair of the Electoral Commission and was appointed as the new Commissioner of FICAC, following an email notification from the Solicitor-General.
In response to the ongoing issues, Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica suggested that FICAC had operated under political influence during the previous administration but claimed that this influence does not extend to the current Coalition Government. He acknowledged the need for an inquiry into FICAC, primarily as a reflection of its operations over the last eight years.
Opposition leader Ioane Naivalurua stated that Rabuka’s inquiry is crucial for good governance, while Leader of Opposition Inia Seruiratu called on the Prime Minister to persist with the inquiry concerning the controversy surrounding Malimali’s appointment and potential interference.
Fiji Law Society President Wylie Clarke emphasized that the decision on how to proceed rests solely with the Prime Minister.