Former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry stated that the indictment of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Biman Prasad, is up to the Court to decide and not his lawyers. This comment follows Mr. Prasad’s remarks concerning the charges against him by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC).
FICAC was set to file multiple charges against Mr. Prasad on September 5 for failing to properly declare his assets, income, and liabilities, a violation of the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Act 2013.
In earlier statements, Mr. Prasad had maintained that his legal team was managing the situation and had no further comments to make. The circumstances surrounding this indictment intensified on September 5, the same day former Deputy FICAC Commissioner Francis Puleiwai resigned after discussions with the Judicial Services Commission. She has since been succeeded by newly appointed Commissioner Barbara Malimali.
Mr. Chaudhry dismissed Mr. Prasad’s assertion that his lawyers disputing the charges holds any weight, emphasizing that it is ultimately the courts that will determine the validity of the allegations.