Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has assured former Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption acting deputy commissioner Francis Puleiwai that she has nothing to fear from his administration and encouraged her to return to Fiji. Speaking at a media conference, Rabuka raised concerns over the reliability of an upcoming interview with Puleiwai conducted by ABC Australia, which has yet to be aired.
An excerpt of the interview, in which Puleiwai made claims against various members of the judiciary and government, was briefly shared on social media by Alexandra Forewood, only to be removed shortly thereafter. According to a spokesperson from ABC, a portion of the interview aired on ABC News Channel on September 27, but a full publication date has not been established yet.
ABC has not clarified who had access to the complete interview or whether Forewood, a former Fiji citizen currently lodging complaints against several government leaders to FICAC, was provided with the full video. Additionally, the ABC did not confirm if Forewood was instrumental in arranging the interview.
Rabuka noted he has not received any police reports regarding the threats mentioned by Puleiwai in the interview, asserting, “It would not come from the government that I lead, who is she afraid of?” He added, “I believe we are safe. If there’s anyone under the most threat, it’s me, and I have not felt any threat.”
Addressing questions about the delay in investigating the FICAC controversy, Rabuka stated that the legal process must be followed, emphasizing that it falls under the jurisdiction of the Judicial Services Commission rather than the government or the Constitutional Offices Commission. Puleiwai indicated that she would refrain from commenting until after an inquiry is completed and chose not to disclose the identities of those she claims are threatening her to protect her family’s safety in Fiji.