The Fiji Independent Commission has notified the Fijian Elections Office that it has closed three investigation files referred to them in September 2023.
According to FICAC, a preliminary inquiry was conducted into complaints directed at the FijiFirst party, particularly involving allegations of corrupt practices. One complaint pertained to a purported false declaration by the Fiji First Australia Association Incorporated, involving Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and an individual named Tito Bainimarama. FICAC pointed out that the list of donations submitted by the FijiFirst party to the Registrar of Political Parties for the years 2015-2022 did not include the Fiji First Australia Association Incorporated, which is registered with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
FICAC sought additional documentation from the complainant, Alexandra Forwood, but was unsuccessful as she could not provide any supporting documents or dates relating to the alleged corrupt practices.
Another investigation examined claims that Tito Bainimarama had a connection to former FijiFirst Party leader Voreqe Bainimarama. Findings confirmed that there are no official records for Tito Bainimarama in relevant government registries, allowing FICAC to verify that he is not the former leader.
Further complaints were made against Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and Mohammed Saneem regarding alleged collusion and conflicts of interest, as well as Ariff Ali for making a donation to FijiFirst in his capacity as a civil servant. Preliminary findings showed that Sayed-Khaiyum and Saneem are not shareholders of Formscaff (Fiji) Pte Limited, and that the contract for services was awarded through the proper tender process by the Elections Office. Additionally, the tender procedure used for Xiarch Solutions Pvt Ltd, which secured a contract for the 2022 General Elections, was verified to be compliant.
Another complaint involved President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, and Charan Jeath Singh. This preliminary investigation requested financial information from the Financial Intelligence Unit concerning all three individuals. The Fiji FIU provided sufficient information to refute the allegations, and FICAC confirmed the validity of the assets and liabilities reported.
Based on the results of these preliminary inquiries and subsequent legal opinions, FICAC concluded that there was no evidence supporting the complainant’s claims, leading to the closure of the investigation files.