Francis Pulewai, the former Acting Deputy Commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), has publicly addressed her departure and the contentious appointment of the new FICAC Commissioner, Barbara Malimali, for the first time.
Speaking from Australia, Pulewai expressed her disappointment regarding her departure, characterizing it as an effort by an institution she aimed to serve to “victimize” her for merely fulfilling her job responsibilities. She stated, “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, victimised me for just doing my job.”
Pulewai raised concerns about the swift nature of Malimali’s appointment, noting that it occurred while Malimali was still under investigation. She questioned, “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.” After learning on August 28 about the appointment, Pulewai communicated with the President on August 30 about the ongoing investigation surrounding Malimali, urging caution in confirming her role.
Despite the investigation, Malimali was appointed on September 4 by President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, following a recommendation from the Judicial Services Commission. Pulewai highlighted the lack of communication regarding the formal introduction of the new Commissioner, expressing her confusion as to why she was not informed about the gathering.
Concerns were raised by some managers regarding Malimali—a person under investigation—taking on a leadership position. Pulewai emphasized that had proper procedures been followed and if Malimali had been cleared, she would have no objections to the appointment.
In response to rumors regarding Malimali’s detention shortly after her appointment, Pulewai clarified that this was a misunderstanding. She explained that her team was initially tasked with bringing in Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad for questioning, and that Malimali’s detention stemmed from her refusal to be interviewed.
Pulewai defended her authority during her tenure, asserting that she had the same investigative powers as Malimali. She pointed out that the Prime Minister was unaware of Malimali’s resignation from the Electoral Commission prior to her appointment due to a lack of notification.
Pulewai also confirmed that charges against Biman Prasad had already been drafted, indicating clear breaches of the Political Parties Act, while dismissing his claims of baseless accusations and insisting that the courts should determine the outcome.
Addressing issues regarding the citizenship status of the complainant, Pulewai stated that anyone could file a complaint, and emphasized the importance of treating all complaints with seriousness.
Finally, Pulewai described the current situation at FICAC as chaotic and called for increased transparency and accountability. She expressed regret that the appointment process had not been paused to complete the investigation and added that she has been receiving threats since her departure, including incidents involving her vehicle’s tires.