A defamation lawsuit may soon be filed against former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry following his allegations against Finance Minister Biman Prasad.
Mr. Chaudhry demanded that the government disclose detailed accounts of the 2023 Girmit celebration expenditures. He claimed that Mr. Prasad, who is currently under investigation by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), has failed to provide a breakdown of the $500,000 allocated for the celebrations. According to Chaudhry, a significant portion of this money was given to an institute headed by Prasad’s wife and a political ally.
These statements were made after Mr. Chaudhry criticized a lavish dinner hosted by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka at the Grand Pacific Hotel for government ministers, assistant ministers, and their spouses.
In a statement, Mr. Chaudhry pointed out what he termed as government operational flaws that required public scrutiny. Among these issues, he highlighted an alleged drug and sex scandal involving two ministers who remain in the Cabinet.
In response, Mr. Prasad labeled Mahendra Chaudhry as “the biggest crook,” accusing him of hiding $2 million in Australia and being a convicted criminal. Prasad asserted that Chaudhry has been lying about the Girmit funding approved by the Cabinet and vowed to see him in court for defamation and his false claims.