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. Speaking from Australia, Pulewai expressed her disappointment over the manner in which her situation was managed, alleging that the institution she aimed to serve sought to “victimize” her for fulfilling her duties.
“It was truly disheartening to realize that the very arm of Government I believed would uphold the rule of law was the same entity that I feel victimized me for simply doing my job,” stated Pulewai. She suggested that the commission was looking for a scapegoat and perceived her as a fitting target.
Pulewai raised questions regarding the urgency of Malimali’s appointment while she was still under investigation. “Why was the appointment rushed when the person being appointed was still being investigated? That’s the central question,” she remarked. On August 28, she learned that Malimali was chosen for the FICAC Commissioner position and subsequently wrote to the President on August 30, cautioning about the ongoing investigation into Malimali.
“I received a call from the Attorney-General on September 3 about Malimali’s situation, during which I confirmed that we were nearing the conclusion of our investigation,” Pulewai explained. Despite the investigation’s status, Malimali was appointed on September 4 following a recommendation from the Judicial Services Commission.
Pulewai revealed that she was not notified when the Chief Registrar organized a formal introduction of the new Commissioner, leading to feelings of exclusion. She noted that some managers expressed concerns about having someone under investigation in a leadership role.
“I would have had no issue with her appointment if the investigation had cleared her. My concern is that due diligence was not conducted regarding the ongoing case,” she stated.
In response to reports claiming that Malimali was detained shortly after her appointment, Pulewai clarified that it was a misunderstanding. She explained that her team was set to question Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad the following day, and Malimali was detained only after she declined an invitation for an interview.
Pulewai defended her actions, asserting that as Acting Deputy Commissioner, she held the same investigative authority as Malimali. She also revealed that the Prime Minister was not aware of Malimali’s resignation from the Electoral Commission prior to her appointment.
Regarding potential charges against Prasad, Pulewai confirmed that they had been drafted, highlighting clear breaches, and dismissed Prasad’s claims of baseless accusations, urging that the matter should be settled in court.
Addressing concerns about the complainant’s citizenship status, Pulewai emphasized that anyone can file a complaint, and all are taken seriously.
Pulewai characterized the atmosphere at FICAC as chaotic and called for transparency and accountability. She expressed that many issues could have been avoided had the appointment been delayed until the investigation concluded. Additionally, she reported receiving threats since her departure and recounted an incident involving damaged vehicle tires as troubling.
Pulewai urged the Prime Minister to allow an inquiry to investigate any irregularities in the appointment process.