The Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) has informed the Supervisor of Elections, Ana Mataiciwa, about the closure of two cases involving the Minister for Women, Lynda Tabuya. The endorsement for closing these cases occurred on August 12, 2024, with the official referral to the Supervisor of Elections taking place on September 20, 2024.
The first case stems from a complaint lodged by the Supervisor of Elections on April 5, 2024, related to allegations of false and non-declaration of income. Following the registration of this complaint, FICAC conducted an inquiry. Their findings concluded that the only declaration necessary from Tabuya was her statement of candidacy submitted for the general elections in 2022. Consequently, FICAC has opted to close this file.
The second case arose from another complaint forwarded by the Supervisor of Elections on May 24, 2024, concerning allegations of false and non-declaration under Section 24 of the Political Parties Act. FICAC also registered this complaint and conducted an investigation. The preliminary inquiry suggested that there was no obligation for Minister Tabuya to reveal any spousal information, as she has been divorced from Robert Semaan since 2016. As a result, FICAC has decided to close this file as well.
The outcomes of both preliminary inquiries have been submitted to the Supervisor of Elections.