The Magistrate’s Court has scheduled the trial date for the case involving former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and former Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho.
Bainimarama and Qiliho appeared before Suva Magistrate Jeremaia Savou this morning, facing charges of unwarranted demands by a public official and abuse of office, respectively.
The trial is set to commence in June 2025 and is expected to last six weeks, with around 30 witnesses slated to testify.
DPP Lawyer Pooja Mishra informed the court that the State had not received any documents or facts from the defense in the case. Defense Lawyer Devanesh Sharma mentioned that they are still reviewing documents to identify any potentially prejudicial admissions.
Meanwhile, Bainimarama is expected to be released from the correctional facility before the trial. Sharma informed the court that he will notify them when his clients are released.
Currently, Bainimarama is serving his sentence for a separate case at the Nasinu Corrections Centre, while Qiliho is at the Naboro Corrections Centre.
Bainimarama is charged with making unwarranted demands as a public official. He allegedly demanded, between May 21 and August 18, 2021, that Acting Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu terminate the employment of Sergeant Penieli Ratei and Police Constable Tomasi Naulu from the Fiji Police Force. Failure to terminate the officers would result in Tudravu having to resign.
Qiliho is charged with reviewing the disciplinary decision made by Tudravu, which imposed a five equivalent paid working days penalty against Sergeant Ratei and Police Constable Naulu. Contrary to this decision, Qiliho allegedly terminated their employment from the Fiji Police Force, an arbitrary act deemed prejudicial to the officers’ rights.
The trial will run from June 2 to July 11, 2025.