Francis Pulewai, the former Acting Deputy Commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), has shared her thoughts for the first time regarding her exit and the contentious appointment of Barbara Malimali as FICAC Commissioner.
From Australia, Ms. Pulewai conveyed her profound disappointment regarding the handling of her situation, characterizing it as an effort by the agency she aimed to serve to “victimize” her simply for fulfilling 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,” Ms. Pulewai stated. She expressed her belief that there was an intention to place blame solely on her.
Ms. Pulewai raised concerns about the abruptness of Ms. Malimali’s appointment while an investigation was still underway. “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 insisted. After learning of Ms. Malimali’s selection for the FICAC role on August 28, she wrote to the President on August 30 to caution against confirming the appointment due to the pending investigation.
Discussions regarding Ms. Malimali’s situation took place with the Attorney-General on September 3. Despite being informed that the investigation was nearing its conclusion, Ms. Malimali was appointed on September 4 by President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, following a recommendation from the Judicial Services Commission.
In light of the unfolding “Barbara-gate” controversy, various officials, including the Attorney-General and the Minister for Justice, have issued statements regarding the matter.
Ms. Pulewai also pointed out that she was not informed about the formal introduction of the new Commissioner to staff, questioning why she was excluded from that communication. She noted that some managers had expressed concerns about having someone under investigation placed in a leadership position. “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,” she remarked.
Furthermore, Ms. Pulewai addressed misconceptions surrounding Ms. Malimali’s detainment, clarifying that Ms. Malimali was invited for an interview, which she declined, leading to her subsequent detainment.
Defending her actions, Ms. Pulewai clarified that as Acting Deputy Commissioner, she held the same authority to investigate and prosecute cases as Ms. Malimali. She stated that the Prime Minister was not even informed of Ms. Malimali’s resignation from the Electoral Commission prior to her appointment.
On the matter of charges against Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad, Ms. Pulewai confirmed that evidence had already been compiled to support the accusations, asserting that the matter should be resolved in court rather than dismissed as baseless.
Addressing questions about the citizenship status of the complainant, she affirmed that complaints are accepted from anyone, regardless of their background, provided they are backed by evidence and documentation.
Ms. Pulewai called for greater transparency and urged that, to avoid further chaos, the investigation should have been concluded before proceeding with the appointment. Additionally, she reported receiving threats since her departure and described a concerning incident involving her vehicle, reinforcing her call for a thorough inquiry into the appointment process.