FICAC Commissioner Barbara Malimali was unaware of an ongoing investigation against her until a raid took place at the Electoral Commission’s office on September 3, concerning allegations of abuse of office. She stated that she had not been informed about her impending detention and questioning by investigators when she arrived at work on September 5.
“If they had told me, I would have come in and cooperated with their investigation,” Malimali remarked. “It was unfortunate that things happened the way they did on my first day of work.” She asserted that the allegations lacked a foundation, emphasizing that she was merely fulfilling her responsibilities as chair of the Electoral Commission.
Malimali also noted that she had not communicated with former FICAC acting deputy commissioner Francis Puleiwai, who authorized the raid at the Electoral Commission office and her subsequent arrest. “I had not spoken to her prior to that. So, I was really not aware that there was an investigation,” she explained. Additionally, she mentioned that she would refrain from commenting on the ongoing investigations against her.