The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has announced that it has appealed the sentence given to former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, as well as the acquittal of former police commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho, regarding charges of abuse of office linked to events from 2021. The ODPP confirmed that the Notice of Appeal was submitted on November 19, 2025, and served to RPatel Lawyers.
The appeal argues that the trial judge made significant errors, both in law and fact, leading to Qiliho’s acquittal and suggesting that Bainimarama’s 12-month sentence, which is suspended for three years, is insufficiently stringent. The case will continue under the management of Assistant DPP Laisani Tabuakuro and senior state lawyer Pooja Mishra.
Currently, there are no scheduled dates for the first hearing in the Fiji Court of Appeal. This high-profile criminal case concluded three months ago when Bainimarama was found guilty of demanding improper actions from public officials. Qiliho faced two counts of abuse of office related to incidents involving police officers who faced light disciplinary measures after circulating photos of the former prime minister’s brother in police group chats.
The charges stemmed from Bainimarama’s pressure on the acting police commissioner Rusiate Tudravu to dismiss the officers involved, marking a significant moment in Fijian legal history, as it represented the first prosecution for unwarranted demands made to public officials. The ongoing appeal indicates the government’s commitment to ensuring accountability at all levels of public service, promising a rigorous examination of the case by the higher court.
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