The suspended Commissioner of Police, Sitiveni Qiliho, has officially resigned, paving the way for the appointment of a new police chief. The Constitutional Offices Commission (COC) received his resignation last Thursday, although the reasons for his decision have not been disclosed.
Qiliho was suspended by President Ratu Willame Katonivere on January 27, 2023, following advice from the COC and was under investigation for allegations of misconduct. During this period, he continued to receive his full salary while awaiting a tribunal hearing.
On May 9, 2023, Qiliho was convicted and sentenced to two years in prison for abuse of office, a conviction that he shares with former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama. Bainimarama was charged with attempting to obstruct justice, while Qiliho received his conviction related to directives to terminate an investigation concerning the University of the South Pacific back in July 2020.
Despite this conviction, the COC was preparing to hold a tribunal to address original misconduct allegations against Qiliho that were distinct from the charges resulting in his conviction. He is currently facing an additional charge of abuse of office in court.
Graham Leung, the Attorney-General and a member of the COC, confirmed that Qiliho’s resignation eliminates the need for the tribunal. “Mr. Qiliho’s resignation creates a vacancy in the substantive position, allowing us to move forward with advertising the role,” Leung stated. “We couldn’t proceed earlier as he was still the substantive post holder despite his conviction.”
Potential candidates for the Commissioner of Police position include Unaisi Vuniwaqa, the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Safety and Security, former senior police officials Luke Navela and Rusiate Tudravu, and the Acting Commissioner of Police, Juki Fong-Chew.