Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has indicated he would not hesitate to demote Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Biman Prasad to the backbench if he is charged by 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 mentioned that he has previously set a precedent for such action when he moved former Minister for Fisheries Kalaveti Ravu to the backbench.
On the same day as Prasad’s arrest sanction by former Deputy FICAC Commissioner Francis Puleiwai, Rabuka remarked on the situation, stating that he had been briefed by Prasad regarding the possibility of legal challenges.
Rabuka emphasized that there would be no executive influence over the matter, saying if Prasad is arrested and subsequently charged, he must follow the procedures outlined in the law.
Prasad has sought legal counsel and declined to comment further, asserting that his lawyers have been managing the complaint and have communicated with FICAC, declaring the accusations baseless.
Fiji Sun also attempted to reach newly appointed FICAC Commissioner Barbara Malimali for her stance on reassessing the charges against Prasad, but she had not responded by the time of publication.
Malimali is the second person to be appointed to the significant position of FICAC Commissioner, following Rashmi Aslam, who was the first to hold the role since FICAC’s inception in 2007. Aslam took over the post in 2012.