Former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry emphasized that the responsibility for the indictment of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Biman Prasad lies with the courts, not with his legal representatives. This statement was made in response to Mr. Prasad’s remarks concerning the charges filed against him by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC).
FICAC had announced its intention to charge Mr. Prasad on September 5 concerning multiple violations related to his declaration of assets, income, and liabilities, in accordance with Section 24 (l)(b)(iv) of the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Act 2013.
In earlier statements, Mr. Prasad had consistently indicated that his lawyers were managing the legal issues and would refrain from further comment.
The situation surrounding this indictment became more complicated following the resignation of former Deputy FICAC Commissioner Francis Puleiwai on September 5, after consultations with the Judicial Services Commission. Barbara Malimali has since been appointed as the new Commissioner.
Chaudhry criticized Mr. Prasad’s assertion that his lawyers dismissing the charges was significant, stating, “It is for the courts, not his lawyers, to decide on the merits of the charges.”