The Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) has announced the closure of its case against former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama. This decision was communicated to the Fijian Elections Office, following allegations regarding the submission of inaccurate declarations of Income, Assets, and Liabilities for the years 2014 to 2019 and 2022.
The case was initially referred to FICAC by the Supervisor of Elections earlier this year. Investigations indicated that Bainimarama correctly reported his dividend, as well as the value of his shares and term saver account associated with the dividend.
Additionally, the findings concluded that, per the Income Tax (Exempt Income) Regulation 2016, these allowances are exempt from taxation. This exemption applies to all official allowances received by members of Parliament.
However, the Income Tax Act specifies that it does not acknowledge any allowance meant to cover expenses related to an employee’s duties, including per diem allowances. Ultimately, based on the investigation’s results and subsequent legal opinions, FICAC found insufficient evidence to substantiate the allegations made by the complainant.