Francis Pulewai, the former Acting Deputy Commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), has publicly addressed her recent departure and the contentious appointment of FICAC Commissioner Barbara Malimali. Speaking from Australia, Pulewai expressed her profound disappointment regarding how her situation was addressed, claiming it was an effort by the agency she aimed to support to “victimize” her for fulfilling her responsibilities.
“It was incredibly disheartening for me to witness the very arms of Government that I expected would uphold the rule of law turning against me for merely doing my job,” Pulewai stated. She suggested that it appeared the institution sought a scapegoat and believed she could be the one to blame.
Pulewai raised concerns about the expedited nature of Malimali’s appointment, especially while the latter was still under investigation. “The fundamental question that arises is, why was the appointment expedited when the individual was still being investigated?” she remarked. On August 28, she learned that Malimali had been chosen for the Commissioner role and wrote to the President on August 30, urging caution due to the pending investigation.
On September 3, Pulewai received a call from the Attorney-General concerning Malimali’s situation and confirmed that an investigation was indeed underway in her office. Despite this, Malimali was appointed on September 4 by President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, based on a recommendation from the Judicial Services Commission.
Pulewai noted that she was not informed when the introduction of Malimali was organized, which she felt was inappropriate. She indicated that some managers were uneasy about having someone under investigation as their leader and asserted that all necessary due diligence should have been conducted prior to her appointment.
Addressing misconceptions regarding Malimali’s detention shortly after her appointment, Pulewai clarified that it was not an arrest but rather a situation that arose after Malimali declined an invitation for an interview regarding an investigation. “The misunderstanding is that we arrested her. She was invited for an interview, and when she refused, that’s when my team proceeded to detain her,” Pulewai explained.
Pulewai defended her own authority as Acting Deputy Commissioner to investigate and prosecute cases equally as Malimali could, and highlighted that the Prime Minister was unaware of Malimali’s resignation from the Electoral Commission prior to her appointment.
Regarding Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad, Pulewai confirmed that charges against him were already prepared, emphasizing that documentation will support the evidence of alleged breaches related to fraud. She dismissed Prasad’s assertion that the accusations were “baseless” and asserted that the legal process should unfold to determine the validity of the claims.
In response to questions concerning the complainant’s citizenship status, Pulewai stated that all complaints are taken seriously, regardless of the complainant’s background.
Expressing concerns over the urgency of Malimali’s appointment without concluding the investigation, Pulewai called for increased transparency and accountability in FICAC. Furthermore, she expressed that she has been facing direct and indirect threats since her departure, including an incident involving slashed tires on her vehicle before leaving for Australia.