Former Acting Deputy Commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), Francis Pulewai, has publicly addressed her departure and the contentious appointment of new Commissioner Barbara Malimali for the first time.
From Australia, Ms Pulewai expressed her disappointment regarding the way her situation was handled, claiming that the institution she intended to serve sought to “victimize” her for simply performing her responsibilities. She stated, “It was really disappointing to me to see that the very arm of Government I was hoping would uphold the rule of law and do the right thing were the very people who, I would say, victimized me for just doing my job.”
Ms Pulewai also noted that it seemed FICAC was searching for a scapegoat and believed she was the one they could place blame upon.
She raised concerns about the urgency surrounding Ms Malimali’s appointment while she was still under investigation. “The question that needs to be asked is, why was the appointment rushed when the person appointed was still being investigated? That’s the bottom-line question,” she remarked. On August 28, she learned that Ms Malimali had been chosen for the Commissioner position and subsequently wrote to the President on August 30, highlighting the investigation against Malimali and cautioning against confirming her appointment.
On September 3, Ms Pulewai received a call from the Attorney-General inquiring about the ongoing investigation in her office, to which she confirmed that they were nearing its conclusion. Nonetheless, Ms Malimali was appointed on September 4 by President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, following a recommendation from the Judicial Services Commission.
Ms Pulewai expressed frustration over the lack of communication when the Chief Registrar mandated a formal introduction of the new Commissioner without informing her. She mentioned that some managers had voiced concerns about having someone under investigation leading them.
She emphasized that had the proper process been followed and Ms Malimali cleared, she would not have had issues with her appointment, but insisted that due diligence was overlooked.
Additionally, Ms Pulewai cleared up misunderstandings regarding Ms Malimali’s detention after her appointment, clarifying that her team did not arrest her but proceeded to detain her after she refused to be interviewed concerning the ongoing investigation.
In defense of her authority as Acting Deputy Commissioner, Ms Pulewai stated that she had equivalent powers as Ms Malimali to pursue investigations. She also brought to light that the Prime Minister was unaware of Ms Malimali’s resignation from the Electoral Commission prior to her appointment.
Regarding charges against Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad, Ms Pulewai confirmed they had already been drafted, highlighting clear breaches. She rejected Prasad’s claims that the allegations were unfounded, urging the legal process to determine the validity of the case.
Ms Pulewai commented on the citizenship status of the complainant, asserting that anyone can file a complaint, and noted that all complaints should be treated fairly.
In conclusion, she described the situation at FICAC as disorganized and implored for transparency and accountability. Ms Pulewai called on the Prime Minister to allow a board of inquiry to investigate any potential irregularities in the appointment process. Furthermore, she reported receiving threats since her departure, including an incident where her vehicle tires were found slashed.