Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka indicated he would not hesitate to demote Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Biman Prasad to the backbench should he face charges from the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC).
Prasad is currently under investigation for allegedly failing to declare all his assets, income, and liabilities before the last election. Rabuka noted that he had previously set a precedent by demoting former Minister for Fisheries, Kalaveti Ravu, to the backbench following a similar situation.
Rabuka mentioned that former Deputy FICAC Commissioner Francis Puleiwai, who resigned abruptly on Thursday, had authorized Prasad’s arrest on that same day. Rabuka confirmed he had been briefed by Prasad about the potential for charges.
He stated, “As soon as he is arrested, it will come to me and when he is charged, he will have to carry out what is stated in the laws.”
Prasad has stated that the matter is now in the hands of his lawyer, and he would not comment further. He emphasized that his legal team has been engaged with FICAC from the start and clarified that there is no foundation for the allegations against him.
The newly appointed FICAC Commissioner, Barbara Malimali, was contacted regarding whether she would reconsider Prasad’s charges but had not yet responded at the time of reporting. Malimali is the second individual to hold the position since FICAC was established in 2007, following Rashmi Aslam, who took office in 2012.