Former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and former Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho have entered a not guilty plea to charges of unwarranted demand and abuse of office, respectively. Their plea was made before Judge Justice Thushara Rajasinghe at the High Court in Suva.
Bainimarama is accused of making threats to then Acting Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu to compel him to terminate the employment of two police officers—Sergeant Penieli Ratei and Police Constable Tomasi Naulu—between May 21 and August 18, 2021. He allegedly threatened Tudravu’s employment if he did not comply with his demands.
In parallel, Qiliho faces two counts of abuse of office, as he allegedly directed the termination of Ratei and Naulu’s employment without following proper procedures, thereby infringing on their rights. The court deemed these actions an abuse of Qiliho’s authority during his tenure as Police Commissioner between August 5 and August 18, 2021.
The trial is set to take place from June 2 to July 11, 2025, and the State has prepared for a robust case, planning to present around 30 witnesses. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for July 4 to review the procedural matters.
Observers have noted that the case highlights critical issues of accountability within Fiji’s government. As these proceedings unfold, there is a shared hope among the public for a transparent and just outcome, which could restore faith in governmental institutions and contribute to improved integrity and ethical governance in Fiji’s public service sector.
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