Mahendra Chaudhry, the former Prime Minister and leader of the Fiji Labour Party, has alleged that certain Ministers facing investigation by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) for submitting false declarations and engaging in corrupt practices are attempting to influence the appointment of a new Commissioner for FICAC.
Chaudhry indicated that these Ministers are seeking to evade prosecution by pushing to replace Acting Assistant Commissioner Francis Puleiwai with someone of their choosing as the new substantive Commissioner.
He also mentioned previous concerns regarding interference from the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Barbara Malimali, regarding the Registrar’s decision to report the Ministers to FICAC.
“A formal complaint regarding Malimali has been filed with FICAC, and we believe it is currently under investigation,” Chaudhry noted.
He expressed that there is significant pressure on FICAC under Puleiwai concerning the ongoing investigations into the Ministers. Additionally, Chaudhry stated that there are indications Malimali might have applied for the FICAC Commissioner position, raising questions about her suitability for consideration given the circumstances.