Attorney-General Graham Leung has defended the appointment of Barbara Malimali as the Commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), stating that the selection process was carried out properly. During a press briefing at his office, Mr. Leung highlighted that Ms. Malimali was chosen based on merit after being shortlisted alongside four other candidates.
Notably, Ms. Malimali is currently under investigation by FICAC. Mr. Leung pointed out that the head of FICAC position had been vacant for several months and emphasized that, according to the Constitution, the appointment is made by the Judicial Services Commission, which recommends candidates to the President.
On the day of her appointment, events took a surprising turn as Ms. Malimali was detained for questioning regarding an allegation of abuse of office shortly after arriving at her new job. Initially, the media was informed that Acting Deputy FICAC Commissioner Francis Pulewai would hold a press conference, but that did not occur.
Mr. Leung mentioned that Ms. Pulewai resigned and seemed to have authorized the detention of Ms. Malimali. He expressed concern about the extreme nature of this action, stating that FICAC’s powers can significantly affect an individual’s liberty and reputation. He emphasized the need for these powers to be exercised with caution.
He stated that he was surprised by these developments, as it was unprecedented for a newly appointed head to face arrest by her own staff. Mr. Leung raised questions about the legality of the attempted arrest of Ms. Malimali.
In response, Ms. Pulewai insisted that she acted in accordance with due process in detaining Ms. Malimali, stating that she was committed to upholding the rule of law when handling complaints of corruption.