Francis Pulewai, the former Acting Deputy Commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), has publicly addressed her departure and the recent appointment of FICAC Commissioner Barbara Malimali for the first time. Speaking from Australia, Pulewai expressed her deep disappointment over how her situation was handled, stating it felt like an effort by the institution to “victimize” her for merely performing her duties.
“It was really disappointing to me to see that the very arm of Government I was hoping would uphold the rule of law and do the right thing were the very people who, I would say, victimized me for just doing my job,” Pulewai said. She remarked that it seemed the organization was looking for a scapegoat, suggesting they believed she could bear the blame.
Pulewai raised concerns about the swift nature of Malimali’s appointment while she was still under investigation. “The question that needs to be asked is, why was the appointment rushed when the person appointed was still being investigated? That’s the bottom-line question,” she stated.
On August 28, Pulewai learned that Malimali was the chosen candidate for the FICAC Commissioner position. Subsequently, on August 30, she wrote to the President to highlight the ongoing investigation against Malimali and advised caution regarding her confirmation.
Pulewai received a call from the Attorney-General on September 3 concerning Malimali’s situation, confirming there was an investigation in progress. She stated they were nearing the conclusion of the investigation during that week, indicating that charges might follow depending on the findings.
Despite this ongoing inquiry, Malimali was appointed on September 4 by President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere upon the recommendation of the Judicial Services Commission. Following this event, various officials, including the Attorney-General and other ministers, released statements regarding the incident.
Pulewai mentioned she had not been informed when the Chief Registrar directed the Human Resources Manager to gather staff for the formal introduction of the new Commissioner. “I thought, why didn’t they call me to inform me about this? It was done in a manner that was just not right,” she noted.
Concerns were also raised among some managers regarding having Malimali, who was under investigation, as their new leader. “If the process had been allowed to go through and Ms Malimali was in the clear, I would have had no issue with her appointment. My problem is that no due diligence was conducted by those making the appointment to contact me about the ongoing investigation,” she added.
In response to reports about Malimali’s alleged detainment by FICAC the day after her appointment, Pulewai clarified that there was a misunderstanding. She explained that her team was tasked to bring in Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad for questioning, and Malimali’s detainment occurred only after she declined an invitation for an interview.
Pulewai defended the authority of her position, stating that as Acting Deputy Commissioner, she possessed similar powers as Malimali to investigate and prosecute cases. She also pointed out that the Prime Minister was unaware of Malimali’s resignation from the Electoral Commission prior to her appointment.
Regarding charges against Prasad, Pulewai confirmed that the allegations had been drafted, with clear breaches identified. “The evidence will speak for itself. The beauty of fraud cases is that it is all documented. If something false is stated on paper, then it is a clear breach of the Political Parties Act,” she asserted.
She dismissed Prasad’s claims of baseless accusations and stated that the judicial process should determine the validity of the case. “Allow the process to go ahead and let the court decide whether they agree with our case or not,” she said. Prasad has refrained from making comments, stating his lawyers are managing the situation.
Pulewai addressed concerns about the complainant’s citizenship, asserting that anyone, regardless of background, can file a complaint. “We treat all complaints equally because the public is trusting the system,” she emphasized.
Describing the situation at FICAC as chaotic, Pulewai called for transparency and accountability. “All this could have been avoided if they paused the appointment and allowed us to conclude the investigation,” she added, urging for an inquiry into any irregularities in the appointment process. She also mentioned that since her departure, she has received various threats. “When we were leaving for Australia, our vehicle tyre got punctured, and we found out that the tyres were slashed,” she recounted, stating she had not received any updates from the police.