Former Acting Deputy Commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), Francis Pulewai, has publicly addressed her departure and the contentious appointment of FICAC Commissioner Barbara Malimali for the first time. Speaking from Australia, Ms. Pulewai expressed her profound dissatisfaction with how her situation was managed, characterizing it as an effort by the institution she aimed to serve to “victimize” her for merely fulfilling her duties.
“It was really disappointing to me to see that the very arm of Government I was hoping would uphold the rule of law and do the right thing were the very people who, I would say, victimized me for just doing my job,” Ms. Pulewai stated. She added that it appeared as though they were looking for a scapegoat, someone to blame, and she felt that she had been made the target.
In light of Ms. Malimali’s appointment, Ms. Pulewai voiced concerns regarding the rapidity of the process, especially given that the appointee was still under investigation. “The question that needs to be asked is, why was the appointment rushed when the person appointed was still being investigated? That’s the bottom-line question,” Ms. Pulewai said. She received confirmation about Ms. Malimali being selected for the FICAC Commissioner position on August 28, and subsequently wrote to the President on August 30, highlighting the ongoing investigation against Ms. Malimali and urging caution regarding her confirmation.
On September 3, Ms. Pulewai spoke with the Attorney-General about Ms. Malimali’s situation, confirming that there was an ongoing investigation that was close to conclusion. Despite this, Ms. Malimali was officially appointed on September 4 by President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, based on the recommendation of the Judicial Services Commission.
Ms. Pulewai shared that she was not notified when the Chief Registrar summoned all Heads of Departments and staff for a formal introduction of the new Commissioner, leading to her feeling excluded from the process. She noted that some managers expressed concerns about having an appointee under investigation as their leader. She asserted that had the investigation been resolved in Ms. Malimali’s favor, she would not have opposed her appointment but lamented the lack of due diligence by those making the appointment.
Responding to confusion surrounding Ms. Malimali’s detention shortly after her appointment, Ms. Pulewai clarified that it was a misunderstanding. She explained that her team had been assigned to bring in Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad for questioning, and Ms. Malimali was only detained after she declined an invitation to be interviewed.
Ms. Pulewai defended her authority as Acting Deputy Commissioner, asserting she held similar powers to investigate and prosecute cases as Ms. Malimali. She noted that the Prime Minister was unaware of Ms. Malimali’s resignation from the Electoral Commission prior to her new appointment.
Regarding Mr. Prasad, Ms. Pulewai confirmed that charges against him had already been prepared, highlighting clear infractions. She dismissed his claims that the allegations were baseless and urged that the matter be resolved in court.
Addressing concerns regarding the complainant’s citizenship status, Ms. Pulewai affirmed that anyone could file a complaint, regardless of race or citizenship, as long as it is substantiated by evidence.
Lastly, she implored for transparency and accountability within FICAC, suggesting that the appointment should have been delayed until the investigation was completed. She expressed that the situation has led to threats against her since her departure, citing an incident where her vehicle’s tires were slashed before leaving for Australia, emphasizing that she had not received updates from the police regarding the matter.