Francis Puleiwai, the former acting deputy commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), has alleged that government ministers and senior officials interfered with investigations during her tenure at the agency. In an interview with ABC News Australia, Puleiwai stated that these interferences resulted in delays to ongoing investigations.
She noted that complaints were not only referred to FICAC, but they also received numerous external complaints, including referrals from the Supervisor of Elections concerning declarations made by ministers still under investigation. Puleiwai described instances where ministers directly contacted her to inquire about complaints against them, asserting that she remained firm in her response, encouraging them to allow the investigation process to proceed without interference.
Puleiwai indicated that such interference was a recurring issue during the previous government as well, impacting the operations of FICAC officers. She recounted challenges faced when executing search warrants, which required courthouse approval. She criticized individuals under investigation for attempting to discover details about complainants and the nature of complaints, asserting that this constituted a form of interference.
She emphasized that confidential details regarding complaints should not be disclosed, and reiterated that the composition of search warrants only includes broad outlines of allegations and the documentation sought. Puleiwai pointed out that many fail to understand FICAC’s dual role as both an investigative and prosecutorial body, arguing that the refusal to release necessary documents created further obstacles in their work and contributed to delays in the investigative process.
Attorney-General Graham Leung responded by stating that he was unaware of any instances of interference from government ministers regarding FICAC’s operations.