The Commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), Barbara Malimali, has filed a police complaint against former acting deputy commissioner Francis Pulewai. Acting Police Commissioner Juki Fong Chew confirmed this information last night.
The complaint involves allegations that Pulewai abused her office by overstepping her authority while acting in the commissioner’s role. Malimali was previously arrested and detained at FICAC headquarters on her first day of work, September 5. This issue has sparked political controversy, dubbed the Barbara-Gate saga, which has drawn comments from Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, who hinted at a Board of Inquiry over the weekend.
Attempts to contact Malimali for a response were unsuccessful before this report was published. Pulewai stated she had not been informed about the complaint and had traveled to Australia following her resignation. Rabuka mentioned last week that he had yet to receive a formal resignation letter from Malimali. However, he confirmed on his Facebook page that Malimali has resigned as Chair of the Electoral Commission and is now the newly appointed Commissioner of FICAC.
In related comments, Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica suggested that FICAC had been influenced by the former government but denied that the current Coalition Government was following a similar path. He acknowledged that FICAC might have deviated from its intended purpose and supported the Prime Minister’s inquiry as a step toward understanding the commission’s operations over the past eight years.
Opposition MPs also weighed in, with G9 crossbench leader Ioane Naivalurua stating that Rabuka’s inquiry call is vital for good governance. Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu urged Rabuka to fulfill his promise and pursue an investigation into the issues surrounding Malimali’s appointment and allegations of interference.
Fiji Law Society president Wylie Clarke noted that the decision regarding the inquiry ultimately lies with the Prime Minister.