Former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry may soon face a defamation lawsuit following allegations against Finance Minister Biman Prasad. Chaudhry’s demand for the government to disclose the detailed accounts of the 2023 Girmit celebration triggered the potential legal action.
Chaudhry accused Finance Minister Prasad, who is currently under investigation by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), of failing to provide a detailed report on the $500,000 allocated for the 2023 Girmit celebrations. He claimed that nearly half of the funds were given to an institute led by the Minister’s wife and a political ally.
These statements were made after Chaudhry criticized a lavish dinner hosted at the Grand Pacific Hotel by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, attended by government ministers, assistant ministers, and their spouses.
In his statement, Chaudhry claimed that there were significant flaws in government operations that required public attention, including allegations of a drug and sex scandal involving two ministers who remain in the Cabinet.
Responding to Chaudhry’s criticism, Finance Minister Prasad said, “Mahendra Chaudhry is the biggest crook I know, he was hiding $2 million in Australia. He’s a convicted criminal and has no right to speak. Why is he making such unfounded allegations? He is a compulsive liar regarding the Girmit funding approved by the Cabinet for the celebration and conference. We will see him in court very soon for defamation and lying about the issue.”