Nancy Tikoisuva has been reappointed as the Acting Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). This announcement comes after her resignation on January 20, following the reinstatement of Christopher Pryde in the DPP position.
Tikoisuva confirmed her new appointment on February 10 and urged all inquiries regarding her role to be directed to the Judicial Services Commission (JSC). As of now, the JSC has not released a formal statement about her reappointment. The commission recently convened to address issues concerning Mr. Pryde and Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) Commissioner Barbara Malimali.
In relation to ongoing investigations, prior to his reinstatement, the senior management of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions submitted fresh complaints to FICAC about Mr. Pryde, alleging various abuses of office related to gratuity payments made without proper approval from 2013 to 2018. These accusations include claims of receiving excessive gratuity in 2023 and making unauthorized payments for life insurance instead of superannuation. Additionally, there are allegations of inappropriate coverage of family travel expenses.
Despite these serious claims and a tribunal that incurred costs of over $88,000 to assess misconduct against him, Mr. Pryde was expected to resume work in February but has requested an extension of his leave to address these new allegations.
This situation highlights the ongoing challenges within Fiji’s legal and corruption oversight frameworks, raising questions about accountability in public office. The reappointment of Tikoisuva could bring stability and renewed focus to the DPP’s operations amidst these turbulent circumstances.
In summary, Ms. Tikoisuva’s ascension to Acting DPP comes at a crucial time, and her leadership may provide a necessary path forward for the Office amidst ongoing investigations and scrutiny.
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