Extraordinary details are emerging of a plot involving senior figures in the institutions of state, politics, Suva’s legal elite and a compliant media to use the FICAC detention of the newly designated “citizen journalist/ publisher”, Charlie Charters, to fast-track the removal of Lavi Rokoika as FICAC Acting Commissioner and reinstall the tainted Barbara Malimali as the nation’s corruption watchdog.
We are learning that the reason given for Charters being detained at Nadi Airport on Saturday afternoon – that he refused to name the whistleblower who provided him with information he has used on social media – is a lie.
He was arrested and prevented from boarding a flight to Sydney because he refused to provide FICAC officers with the passwords to his digital devices – his mobile phone and laptop – and is still reportedly refusing to surrender those passwords as he continues to be detained at FICAC headquarters in Suva.
Grubsheet understands that Charters will be charged with several offences before he appears in court on Monday within the 48 hour deadline that the law prescribes for FICAC charges to be laid after a suspect’s arrest. The notion that FICAC had no power to detain him – which has been peddled even by the Opposition Leader, Inia Seruiratu – is just plain wrong. Grubsheet is assured that at every step of the way, the correct procedures have been followed.
Which makes it even more extraordinary that without any legal justification whatsoever, the Judicial Services Commission headed by the corrupt Chief Justice, Salesi Temo, intervened on Sunday to hold what was billed as an “emergency meeting” to discuss the detention of Charlie Charters. It is something unprecedented in Fijian legal history – the body that makes appointments to FICAC violating its independence by muscling in on an operational matter.
After its meeting, the JSC issued a statement under the signature of the equally corrupt Chief Registrar, the drink driving Tomasi Bainivalu, specifically saying that it had intervened because of Charlie Charters’ detention. It has no legal right whatsoever to do so. Nor does it have the right to embark on any action because of unspecified “public concern”. The JSC is in fact violating the law and smashing the independence on which the entire premise of FICAC was established.
The JSC statement says it is making a series of recommendations later on Monday to the President in relation to FICAC. Grubsheet understands that it is intending to bring forward its previous deadline of an announcement by the end of March about the fate of Lavi Rokoika after Justice Dane Tuiqereqere ruled that the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, did not have the authority to appoint her.
Is the corrupt Chief Justice about to recommend to the President that Lavi Rokoika be suspended immediately as FICAC Acting Commissioner and replaced by the sacked former holder of the position, Barbara Malimali? Yes, Fiji. That’s the incredible story emerging from Sunday’s events – the JSC using the detention of Charlie Charters as a pretext to remove the FICAC head and bring back the corrupt Barbara Malimali as the nation’s corruption watchdog.
The Prime Minister must move quickly to block this naked assault on the rule of law – a Chief Justice accused of perjury and obstructing and perverting the course of justice reinstating a person who is barred from even practicing law in Tuvalu because of professional misconduct.
The Prime Minister must get the President to suspend Salesi Temo as CJ before Temo gets to advise Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu to remove Lavi Rokoika and reinstate Malimali. But will he do so? Of course not. Because Rabuka has already demonstrated how impotent and feeble he is by not acting on the findings against Temo by the Ashton-Lewis Commission of Inquiry into the Malimali affair.
The gravity of what is currently taking place is underlined by an astonishing Facebook posting by the sidelined deputy prime minister and once putative successor to Rabuka – Manoa Kamikamica. Incredibly, Kamikamica urges the Judicial Services Commission (Temo) to “have the nuts” to act against FICAC.
This is a man charged by the corruption watchdog with perjury – of giving false evidence to a public official – having the temerity to publicly call for FICAC to have its wings clipped in the crudest terms.
Kamikamica is guilty of a naked and totally outrageous assault on the integrity of FICAC and on the rule of law. And he deserves to be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Yet it is a sign of just how far the criminal justice system has fallen under the Coalition government – accused persons such as Kamikamica having no compunction whatsoever about fighting back not in a court of law but in the court of public opinion.
What is taking place, Fiji, is an unprecedented assault on the rule of law by those who are supposed to be its custodians, with all sorts of negative consequences for the national interest. And it must be stopped.
——————————-
UPDATE MONDAY 0600:
Media coverage of the unfolding events:
—————————————
And the Charlie Charters spin machine is turned up to full volume with a lead story on CFL-Fiji Village about his wife, Vanessa – the daughter of the late madrai queen Mere Samisoni – calling for whistleblowers to be protected.
No Vanessa. This is all about the integrity of our institutions of state being protected.
Emotive rubbish from Vijay Narayan that beggars belief amid the naked assault on the independence of FICAC.
—————–
POSTSCRIPT:
Charlie Charters is not a journalist in the conventional sense of the word – defined as a “professional who researches, gathers, writes, edits, and presents news and information to the public”. His Wikipedia entry describes him as “a former rugby union official and sports marketing executive turned thriller writer”, who as far as Grubsheet can ascertain has written two novels. Fiction.
While he trained as a journalist in his youth and was once a sports reporter, including for the Fiji Times, Charlie hasn’t practiced as a journalist for many years and unlike Victor Lal and Grubsheet, doesn’t have a blog site. His writing on Fiji is confined to partisan advocacy on Facebook and the occasional article for his old newspaper.
So why have his supporters taken to describing Charlie Charters as a “citizen journalist” or “citizen publisher”? Because it gives him a cloak of respectability and the cover to enable him to claim the traditional right of journalists to protect their sources.
It is a deliberate construct designed to mislead.
This is a bonus free entertainment for all those who wanted the FijiFirst Govt removed.
Trues up! But only if you mean to all FFP voters. Indeed, it is great fun to watch this gobment turning on each other.
The wonder is, though, what exactly is Lenora’s angle in this saga. What skin does she have in this game of trivial pursuits.
Odd coming from the Snake’s best and most consistent in-house bootlicker who otherwise rarely utters a word, let alone an opposing one!
Since when did JSC start to take into consideration the “concerns of the public”? And who are these shadowy figures in the guise of the so called members of the public who are so worried about crooked Charlie?
Is the JSC acting on any written complaints? Or were there phone calls from “individuals with vested interest”?
If that’s the precedent the JSC has set, can we as members of the public with grave concerns, also lobby against the appointment of the retarded and inbred Malimali as she is clearly not fit to ever set foot in that office again?
I could give a rats ass about this particular individual when there are genuine issues that need fixing in Fiji. But this is Temo, who attacked a sexual violence victim in court – Imrana Jalal and other female champions were against his appointment. But a white man gets affected by inconvenience and look how quick the politicians and lawyers are able to find their voices. Richard “I have the means” Naidu who said not a single thing about all the government issues when Biman was in power has now suddenly found his voice again.
It just goes to show being privileged and well connected means they will have your back. A few tokenism for everyday people but the real motif will always be to protect their own herd.
The Judiciary is backed up with court cases. Temo himself taking time to deliberate and pass judgments but do we see him holding court sessions on Sundays to clear the backlog?
Lol at Press Statement
It’s Fiji Independent Commission AGAINST Corruption (FICAC). Not OF Corruption (FICOC!).
Well spotted. They are terminally hopeless. Added it to the slug-line of the letter. Vinaka!
Even Bainivalu’s name is spelt wrongly.
This is clearly a smear campaign against Lavi.
JSC is peverting the course of justice by interfering in an active FICAC case. You have no authority whatsoever to interfere in FICAC’s operational work concerning an investigation. What is your agenda, JSC and whose interest are you serving? Who are you protecting and why? Why can’t you wait for Charlie’s court appearance to establish the facts for its arrest.
JSC is not transparent to explicitly explain what those “certain recommendations” are. At least they should know the correct name of FICAC.
You reap what you sow. You put in a bunch of idiots into running a country, and you get this type of performance. Disorganised, disarray and total breakdown of governance. Everyone does what they please. We have gotten here because of chutiya Baiman. Only, if he had chosen wisely during the aftermath of 2022 elections. Jahaatu is watching from the sidelines now.
Fiji media dreaming of Biman coming back as Finance Minister again to dish them out millions! Keep dreaming, Vijay! Your propaganda against the current FICAC leadership is going nowhere!
Kamikamica is in fantasy world of being freed from his court case! The once “wannabe PM” has gone crazy with his court appearance on crutches to gain public sympathy and now with an unprofessional post saying “grow some nuts”.
Before being charged by FICAC, he was in an economics fantasy world of “billions in investment coming soon to Fiji, billions in investments there, thousands of jobs to be created here, thousands of jobs creating there”….No such investment and jobs have actually taken place, Mr Kamikamica!
I wonder how they can get away with using the term “nuts” ..very unbecoming of a public office holder, and that too from a DPM ..the standards of our MPs are just too low.
Come on Mr Bainivalu, why have you twisted FICAC’s name into FICOC? Well, there is one COC known as Constitutional Officers Commission (COC) that should also have an emergency meeting today to make recommendations to the President on the CJ and CR.
Meanwhile – just like the PM, the President is also “not aware’ of the issue. The President will not intervene and will give another twist to this.
A consistent pattern appears to be emerging. When significant legal or ethical controversies arise at the national level, the Prime Minister’s response is often to emphasise that institutions are independent and that the matter is not his to address.
Institutional independence is fundamental in any democracy. But independence does not remove the responsibility of political leadership to set the tone, articulate standards, and reassure the public that governance is functioning with integrity.
At moments of national concern, silence or distance can unintentionally signal disengagement rather than respect for due process. Leadership is not about interfering in investigations — it is about demonstrating stewardship of the system itself.
If the Prime Minister does not visibly anchor expectations around accountability and ethical conduct, it raises a broader governance question: who is setting the standard?
Respect for institutional independence should not become a shield against political responsibility.
1. Malimali is professionally unfit to be FICAC Commissioner due to grave and serious breaches of the code of conduct in Tuvalu. Cavorting sexually with a judge to influence court proceeding outcomes. A serious miscarriage of justice. She’s not even fit to practice in Fiji with that dark stain on her CV, let alone be considered for FJ$ 3m in damages. You cannot damage damaged goods, period! Fruit of the poisonous tree.
2. Rokoika-Vakalalabure is no better. Corrupt to the core by whitewashing her brother-in-law, CEO of Fiji Sports Council’s corrupt dealings and employing his daughter (her niece) as one of the legal minds in FICAC. She’s obviously under great pressure from her in-laws and as such, a weak and corrupt lawyer herself. This husband and wife team law firm was struggling in Rarotonga before the PAP government came into power. Were doing fitness classes, not substantive legal work in China and other places. In other words, struggling financially. They were actively supporting PAP campaigns pre-GE2022. Quid pro quo?! Yes, it is. Is Rabuka is aware of this need for reciprocal support? Of course, he is. He’s old, not stupid.
3. Dissolve ‘FICOC’. We cannot have unethical corrupt men and women with small cocs running our country to the ground. Get rid of it.
4. Get to work, legal brains. If an institution is not fulfilling its core mandate, find the relevant constitutional clause(s) that will neutralize the principal clause ‘justifying’ its shallow existence.
5. To hell with FICAC and the impotent JSC. We have half the Fijian population living in poverty, wondering where their next meal is going to come from. DVC!!!
Hopefully we will see Biman and Manoa brought back to their former portfolios. This case proves a great injustice done to them by Koika who doesn’t know her job. Their removal was planned by Rabuka who was jealous of their popularity.
Biman and Manoa were two of the most qualified and competent ministers. Biman did not vote for pay increase and his policies have kept the price of lamb chops steady- I’m not sure why the country is so obsessed with lamb chops anyway. Maybe because they like heart attack? Anyway, bring back the dynamic duo. We need strong leadership which Rabuka can’t provide, he is too old and weak not to mention stupid.
How can they be brought back when they are charged? Do you belive in rule of law? In the meantime, kamikamica can grow some nuts for exports while Baiman can continue spend time to at primary schools for photo opportunity.
The only nuts Kamikamica needs to worry about are the ones that will be dangling in front of his face when he goes to prison and meets the inmates.
After Big Boobed Barbs is reinstated, Rabuka will issue a statement advising he has no control over the JSC and their decisions are made independentally so he cannot interfere. If people thought Nixon was shifty, they obviously haven’t met Rabuka.
All in all, it will be an interesting day/week in Fiji as the JSC undertakes its illegal and unconstitutional actions. Keen to see updates…
A full propaganda machine is in operation to change FICAC leadership to prevent corrupt from being prosecuted. Poor Charlie is just a scapegoat!
His Excellency the President Lalabalavu should prevent himself being caught in this propoganda. Upon receipt of the official recommendations from JSC, he (as the final decision maker) should leave matters for reconsideration when Lavi’s acting appointment expires. In the meantime, matters should remain as is.
Imagine if Charlie spent the same energy in ensuring the women at the bakery are paid enough to afford a house/vacation as he did when it came to saving Wylie.
Champagne Charlie
Couldnt happen to a nicer guy !!
I know I know but I cant help myself !!
Another day, another drama. The coalition just can’t seem to catch a break.
If this level and frequency of sh*t kept hitting the proverbial fan under the FIJIFIRST administration, then people would’ve been compelled to take to the streets in protest by veiled elements (local and foreign) with special interests.
The vakavanua cancer has metastasised to every part of government, independent bodies and the media.
Graham, I can’t be the only one who thinks that the only remedy is an extra legal or extra constitutional one.