Francis Puleiwai, the acting Deputy Commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), submitted her resignation to the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) yesterday. After a meeting with the JSC, she informed the media of her decision, stating that she could not continue working in “that institution.”
Ms. Puleiwai’s resignation took effect immediately, a decision influenced by reports indicating that Barbara Malimali would continue as the FICAC Commissioner. During the meeting, she presented her resignation letter.
Expressing her concerns, Ms. Puleiwai commented on the presence of a suspect within the organization, referring to Commissioner Malimali, who faced questioning from investigators upon arriving at work yesterday morning.
When asked about the potential compromise of FICAC’s independence, she expressed hope that it had not been affected. “I hope not. I hope for the best, and I hope that justice will prevail in this matter and that all of this will be brought to light,” she stated.
In response to Attorney-General Graham Leung’s concerns regarding the motivations behind her investigation of Ms. Malimali, Ms. Puleiwai emphasized that she had no personal interests at stake. “The only interest that I have is for the rule of law to be upheld. The complaint was there before I even applied. I was merely doing that today,” she clarified.