The Fiji Independent Commission has notified the Fijian Elections Office about the closure of three files that were under investigation since September 2023.
The Fijian Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) conducted a preliminary inquiry into complaints against the FijiFirst Party concerning several allegations. One major complaint involved claims of corrupt practices related to a false declaration involving the Fiji First Australia Association Incorporated, specifically against Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and Tito Bainimarama. The report noted that donations submitted by the FijiFirst Party to the Registrar of Political Parties from 2015 to 2022 did not mention the Fiji First Australia Association, which is a registered entity in Australia.
FICAC also sought additional documentation from the complainant, Alexandra Forwood, but was unable to obtain the necessary evidence, as the complainant could not provide records or specific dates regarding the alleged corrupt activities.
Additionally, the inquiry investigated claims linking Tito Bainimarama to former FijiFirst Party Leader Voreqe Bainimarama. However, findings indicated no official records exist for Tito Bainimarama in government databases, confirming that he is not the former leader as accused.
Further investigations considered complaints against Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and Mohammed Saneem regarding potential collusion and conflicts of interest, as well as allegations about Ariff Ali making a donation to FijiFirst while serving as a civil servant. Preliminary findings showed that neither Sayed-Khaiyum nor Saneem are shareholders of Formscaff (Fiji) Pte Limited and that the contract in question was awarded following the appropriate tender processes.
The inquiry also looked into allegations against His Excellency Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, and Charan Jeath Singh. The FICAC sought assistance from the Financial Intelligence Unit to analyze financial information related to these individuals. The investigation yielded sufficient evidence to refute the allegations, and FICAC confirmed the accuracy of the financial information provided.
Based on the outcomes of the preliminary inquiries and legal assessments, FICAC informed the Supervisor of Elections that there was no evidence to substantiate the complainant’s claims, leading to the decision to close the case files.