Former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry has stated that the responsibility for the indictment of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Biman Prasad, lies solely with the Court, rather than with his attorneys. This comment came in reaction to statements made by Mr. Prasad regarding the charges brought against him by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC).
FICAC had planned to file charges against Mr. Prasad on September 5, which include multiple allegations related to the declaration of his assets, income, and liabilities, in violation of Section 24 (l)(b)(iv) of the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Act 2013.
In earlier communications, Mr. Prasad emphasized that his legal team was managing the situation and had opted out of making further public comments. The situation escalated on September 5 when former Deputy FICAC Commissioner, Francis Puleiwai, resigned after discussions with the Judicial Services Commission, leading to the appointment of Barbara Malimali as the new Commissioner.
Chaudhry criticized Mr. Prasad’s assertion that the rejection of the charges by his lawyers holds significance, stating, “It is for the courts, not his lawyers, to decide on the merits of the charges.”