The Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) has notified the Supervisor of Elections, Ana Mataiciwa, about the closure of two cases involving the Minister for Women, Lynda Tabuya. FICAC received endorsement to close these cases on August 12, 2024, and formally referred this decision to the Supervisor of Elections on September 20, 2024.
In the first case, the Supervisor of Elections forwarded a complaint to FICAC on April 5, 2024, concerning allegations of false and non-declaration of income. After registering the complaint, FICAC conducted an assessment and inquiry. The findings revealed that the only required declaration from Tabuya was her statement of candidacy submitted for the general elections in 2022. Consequently, FICAC decided to close the file.
The second case was referred to FICAC on May 24, 2024, also regarding allegations of false and non-declaration under Section 24 of the Political Parties Act. After assessing this complaint and conducting an inquiry, FICAC determined there was no obligation for Minister Tabuya to disclose any spousal information, as she has been divorced from Robert Semaan since 2016. Following these findings, FICAC has likewise opted to close this case.
Both inquiries’ findings were shared with the Supervisor of Elections.