Former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry emphasized that the indictment of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Biman Prasad, is a matter for the Court to determine, not for his legal team. This statement followed comments made by Mr. Prasad regarding the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) charges he is facing.
FICAC plans to charge Mr. Prasad on September 5 with multiple counts related to the improper 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 inquiries, Mr. Prasad maintained that his lawyers were managing the issue and would refrain from further comments. The situation became more complicated on September 5, when former Deputy FICAC Commissioner Francis Puleiwai resigned after discussions with the Judicial Services Commission. Barbara Malimali has since been appointed as the new Commissioner.
Chaudhry responded to Mr. Prasad’s remarks, stating, “Mr. Biman’s claim that his lawyers rejecting the charges is neither here nor there. It is for the courts, not his lawyers, to decide on the merits of the charges.”