Former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry stated that the indictment of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Biman Prasad is a matter for the courts to determine, not his lawyers. This follows comments made by Mr. Prasad regarding the charges brought against him by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC).
FICAC was expected to formally charge Mr. Prasad on September 5 with multiple counts concerning the disclosure of assets, income, and liabilities, in violation of Section 24 (l)(b)(iv) of the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Act 2013. Throughout earlier inquiries, Mr. Prasad maintained that his legal team was managing the situation and that he would not provide further commentary.
The situation gained complexity on September 5, coinciding with the resignation of former Deputy FICAC Commissioner Francis Puleiwai after discussions with the Judicial Services Commission. She has since been succeeded by the newly appointed Commissioner Barbara Malimali.
Chaudhry remarked, “Mr. Biman’s assertion that his lawyers are dismissing the charges is irrelevant. It’s the responsibility of the courts to assess the validity of the charges.”