Francis Puleiwai, the former acting deputy commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), has alleged that there was interference from government ministers and senior officials during her tenure at FICAC. In a recent interview with ABC News in Australia, Puleiwai indicated that these interferences led to delays in investigations.
Puleiwai noted that complaints were received not only through formal referrals but also from external sources, including the Supervisor of Elections, particularly concerning declarations made by the ministers, which were still under investigation. She stated that some ministers reached out to her directly to inquire if there were any complaints against them, to which she typically responded by insisting on allowing the process to unfold without interference.
She emphasized that such interferences were also prevalent during the previous government. Puleiwai recounted instances where officials would pursue updates on complaints against them, indicating that their actions obstructed the execution of search warrants planned for September 5, 2024, which required courthouse approval.
Puleiwai expressed concerns about these efforts, particularly when individuals involved sought to discover the identity of complainants and details of the complaints, which she could not disclose. She explained that confidentiality is paramount, stating that the information regarding complainants is not released, and search warrants only generally outline allegations and the relevant documents sought.
She further clarified that FICAC operates both as an investigative and prosecutorial body. As such, the inability to obtain necessary documents due to interference impeded the investigative process and contributed to delays that raised public questions about the agency’s effectiveness.
In response to these claims, Attorney-General Graham Leung stated that he was unaware of any interference from government ministers in FICAC’s operations.