The Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption has informed the Fijian Elections Office of its decision to close the investigation involving former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama. The inquiry centered around allegations of submitting false declarations of income, assets, and liabilities for the years 2014 to 2019 and 2022.
The case was referred to FICAC by the Supervisor of Elections in February of this year. Investigative findings indicated that the former Prime Minister accurately declared his dividends, as well as the value of his shared assets and a term saver account where the dividends were deposited.
Additionally, the investigation found that in line with the Income Tax (Exempt Income) Regulation 2016 Schedule (Regulation 3), these allowances are exempt from taxation. This exemption specifically applies to all official allowances given to members of Parliament.
However, Section 15 (c) of the Income Tax Act specifies that allowances related to the performance of an employee’s duties, including per diem allowances, are not recognized. Following the investigation’s outcome and subsequent legal advice, FICAC concluded that there is not enough evidence to substantiate the allegations made by the complainant.