Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has indicated he would not hesitate to demote Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Biman Prasad to the backbench if he is charged by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC). Prasad is currently under investigation by FICAC for allegedly failing to declare all his assets, income, and liabilities prior to the last election.
Rabuka has set a precedent for such action, referencing the case of former Minister for Fisheries, Kalaveti Ravu, who has since been moved to the backbench. The recent resignation of former Deputy FICAC Commissioner Francis Puleiwai, who authorized Prasad’s arrest on the same day he resigned, adds further complexity to the situation.
Rabuka stated, “Yes, that is the standing procedure with me and Professor Biman Prasad had already briefed me on the possibility. There is nothing executive about that; that’s what she has said to the media. It did not come to us that he had been arrested. As soon as he is arrested, it will come to me and when he is charged, he will have to carry out what is stated in the laws.”
In response, Prasad has noted that the matter is now in the hands of his legal team and has chosen not to comment further. He asserted, “As I said, my lawyers have been handling the complaint from the beginning, my lawyers have communicated with FICAC, and made it very clear that there is no basis in the allegation and no basis of charge. That’s where the matter ends for me and I don’t wish to make any further comments.”
The newly appointed FICAC Commissioner, Barbara Malimali, was contacted regarding the reassessment of Prasad’s charges but had not responded by the time this edition went to press. Malimali is the second person to take on the role of FICAC Commissioner since its establishment in 2007, following Rashmi Aslam, who held the position from 2012.