Former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry stated that the indictment of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Biman Prasad, is a matter for the Court to address, not his legal team. This came in response to Prasad’s remarks concerning the charges brought against him by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC).
FICAC had planned to file multiple charges against Prasad on September 5, linked to the improper declaration of assets, income, and liabilities, violating the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Act 2013.
Previously, Prasad had indicated that his lawyers were managing the issue and would refrain from making further comments. The situation intensified on September 5 when Francis Puleiwai, the former Deputy FICAC Commissioner, resigned following talks with the Judicial Services Commission. Barbara Malimali has since taken over as the new Commissioner.
Chaudhry emphasized that Prasad’s assertion that his legal representatives deny the charges is irrelevant, asserting that it is the responsibility of the courts to evaluate the validity of the charges.