Yesterday may be remembered as one of the most tumultuous days of the year in Fiji, beginning with the arrest of Barbara Malimali, the newly appointed commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), and culminating in the surprising resignation of acting Deputy Commissioner Francis Puleiwai.
The controversy surrounding Ms. Malimali’s appointment was sparked when Mr. Puleiwai revealed to the press that a raid had taken place at the Electoral Commission office earlier in the week. At the time, Ms. Malimali was serving as the Electoral Commissioner, and there had been no official announcement regarding her resignation, raising questions about the timing of her new role at FICAC.
Tensions escalated further as FICAC announced the arrest of its own commissioner. Attorney-General Graham Leung held a press conference to express his concerns, questioning how an individual who had applied for the commissioner position could have been involved in the arrest. He urged the media to “do the math” but refrained from drawing any conclusions himself.
Leung also voiced the opinion that FICAC was in need of a significant overhaul in light of its substantial budget and prevailing concerns regarding its neutrality. The process of appointing the FICAC commissioner is conducted by the President, based on recommendations from the Judicial Services Commission.