Francis Puleiwai, the former acting deputy commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), has disclosed that she relocated to Australia for her safety due to receiving threats. In an interview with ABC News Australia, she stated that after resigning from her role on September 5, she began to receive alarming messages.
“I left Fiji early on September 7,” Puleiwai said. “The decision came after I resigned from the Judicial Services Commission that evening, which was to take effect immediately. Upon resigning, I received unsettling news, particularly troubling for someone raised in Fiji.”
Initially, she did not take the threats seriously, noting her extensive knowledge regarding various investigations and prosecutions within FICAC. However, concerns for her family’s safety began to weigh on her mind.
Additionally, she reported a break-in at her home. “We experienced a break-in as well,” she noted. “I was constantly worried about both my safety and that of my family.” Together with her husband, they decided that she should leave for Australia first, given her three-year visa and the belief that she would be safer out of the country.
Puleiwai recounted an incident the night before their departure when they discovered that their vehicle’s tire had been slashed. “We did not realize this until I was already out of the country,” she explained.
She also claimed that there were indirect threats urging her to refrain from commenting on the appointment of FICAC commissioner Barbara Malimali. While she did not take these threats seriously at first, her husband, concerned due to his military background, advised caution regarding her safety.
The couple agreed that she should leave without making any statements about the situation until she was out of danger. Even after her departure, she received information suggesting that individuals close to the newly appointed commissioner were indirectly threatening her to remain silent about the appointment.
Attorney-General Graham Leung stated that he was unaware of any threats made against Puleiwai following her resignation.