Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has indicated that he will not hesitate to demote his Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Biman Prasad, to the backbench if he faces charges from the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC). Prasad is currently under investigation by FICAC for allegedly failing to declare all of his assets, income, and liabilities prior to the last election.
Rabuka cited a precedent set with the former Minister for Fisheries, Kalaveti Ravu, who was also moved to the backbench under similar circumstances.
The situation escalated on Thursday when former Deputy FICAC Commissioner Francis Puleiwai, who recently resigned, sanctioned Prasad’s arrest. Rabuka stated that he is aware of the possible implications and has been briefed by Prasad regarding this matter.
“There is nothing executive about that,” Rabuka remarked, noting that he was not informed of any arrest at the time. He emphasized that once Prasad is arrested and charged, he will have to adhere to the law.
In response to the situation, Prasad stated that he is relying on his lawyer and would not be making further comments. He asserted that his legal team has managed the complaint from the outset and has communicated with FICAC, maintaining that there is no basis for the allegations against him.
The newly appointed FICAC Commissioner, Barbara Malimali, did not provide a response to inquiries about whether she would reconsider the charges against Prasad prior to the publication of this article. Malimali is noted to be the second appointed FICAC Commissioner since the establishment of the commission in 2007, following Rashmi Aslam, who took office in 2012.