The Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) has recently closed five high-profile cases involving notable figures including former Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, Minister for Sugar Charan Jeath Singh, ex-Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem, and former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama. These cases were initially referred by the current Supervisor of Elections, Ana Mataiciwa, earlier this year.
In a statement released yesterday, FICAC confirmed that Ms. Mataiciwa was informed of the case closures on July 24.
Regarding the closure of Bainimarama’s case, FICAC indicated that investigations and subsequent legal opinions revealed a lack of sufficient evidence to support the allegations made by the complainant. The findings also noted that, according to the Income Tax (Exempt Income) Regulation 2016 Schedule, the allowances in question are exempt income for all official allowances paid to Members of Parliament. However, the Income Tax Act specifies that any allowance related to the performance of an employee’s duties, such as per diem allowances, is not recognized as exempt.
For Sayed-Khaiyum, the findings indicated that the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Act 2013 did not specifically address what constitutes “Income and the Types of Income” that political office holders must declare. FICAC has recommended revisions to the Fijian Elections Office to clarify and strengthen these areas to avoid similar issues in the future and to aid in the investigation process.
FICAC mentioned that other matters referred by Ms. Mataiciwa are still ongoing and they will not comment on those until the investigations are complete. They emphasized that the commission continues to operate normally and that all processes are remaining unchanged. FICAC commit to thoroughly scrutinizing every complaint, regardless of the individuals involved.