Former Prime Minister and leader of the Fiji Labour Party, Mahendra Chaudhry, has alleged that the appointment of Barbara Malimali as Commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) was driven by political motives. In a recent statement, Chaudhry suggested that this appointment was intended to prevent Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad from facing charges and to obstruct the investigations into complaints against other ministers reported to FICAC.
Chaudhry asserted that both the President and Prime Minister Rabuka were aware of Malimali’s ongoing investigation by FICAC prior to her appointment. He cited evidence indicating that FICAC had notified the President and the Prime Minister on August 30th about the investigation concerning Malimali for abuse of office. He noted that response letters were received from the President’s office on September 3rd, indicating a need for legal advice on the matter, and that the Prime Minister acknowledged receipt of the correspondence.
Chaudhry emphasized that with Malimali’s appointment occurring on September 4th, the authorities had prior knowledge of the investigation. He raised concerns that the President would have consulted with the Attorney General regarding the investigation before endorsing her appointment.
According to Chaudhry, these developments suggest a calculated political move to obscure the facts surrounding Malimali’s appointment from the public. He accused the authorities of attempting to mislead the populace with irrelevant information and warned that the integrity of the Judicial Service Commission, the Attorney General’s office, and the leadership of the President and Prime Minister is at stake.
Chaudhry called for Malimali to step down from her position as FICAC Commissioner until a thorough investigation into the charges against her is completed and the findings are made public. He pointed out that she had previously been arrested by FICAC and was slated to be charged before the resignation of the acting Deputy Commissioner, Francis Puleiwai, who was overseeing the investigation.
He also noted that there were finalized charges against Finance Minister Biman Prasad concerning false financial declarations, and questioned why this case was stalled. Chaudhry raised concerns about Prasad’s impending appointment to lead Fiji’s COP 29 delegation in Azerbaijan, questioning how a minister facing charges could be given such a role.
Furthermore, he inquired about the investigations into seven other Cabinet ministers referred to FICAC by the Registrar of Political Parties and whether those cases are still active. He warned that any impediment to the due process in these matters would further damage the public’s trust in law enforcement agencies and the Rabuka Government.
Chaudhry concluded by urging the Prime Minister to prioritize truthfulness and act with honor, reminding him that all individuals are equal under the law.