There are reportedly sensational developments at the Ashton-Lewis Commission of Inquiry into the appointment of Barbara Malimali as FICAC Commissioner.
We are bound by law not to report the actual evidence, which Justice David Ashton-Lewis has declared secret and confined to the courtroom so as not to compromise a number of criminal investigations.
But there is nothing to stop us from reporting what happens outside the Commission. And there is high drama at FICAC after its Manager Investigations, Kuliniasi Saumi, was sacked by Barbara Malmali following several days in the witness box at the Commission.
We can only deduce that the “Lady” was less than pleased by aspects of Kuliniasi Saumi’s evidence. Because her reaction has been extreme, to say the least, dismissing FICAC’s head of investigations midway through the Commission and triggering some very unpleasant consequences.
Grubsheet understands that Kuliniasi Saumi has now filed a police complaint against Barbara Malimali and she is set to come under even more pressure than the blowtorch of the Commission itself. Again, without breaching Justice Ashton-Lewis’s strict admonition about not reporting the evidence, let’s just say that things have not been going well for the Siren of Tuvalu.
We can also report that she has tried to shut the Commission down altogether. And so has the Attorney General, Graham Leung, as the establishment realises that the noose is tightening around a number of very prominent necks.
The very public attempt by the Chief Registrar, Tomasi Bainivalu, to discredit the Counsel Assisting the Commission, Janet Mason – which resulted in Bainivalu having to apologise to the Fiji-born New Zealander – appears to have merely reinforced the determination of the Commission to uncover the truth about the circumstances of Barbara Malimali’s appointment to FICAC.
Again, without risking a charge of contempt by reporting aspects of the evidence itself, some very big names have found themselves in what the French call a state of déshabillé – partial undress – under the probing questions of His Lordship the Judge.
Justice Ashton-Lewis is on the public record as having said early on that as far as he could tell, no-one was lying. Whether he still thinks that is for him to say. But if multiple reports emerging from the Commission are true, it has been a sharp learning curve for His Lordship about mendacity rearing its head under pressure in Fiji.
By sacking her head of investigations after he gave evidence she didn’t approve of, the blowtorch is about to be turned up on Barbara Malimali, not just from the Commission but now from the police.
—————-
“Not a fit and proper person” to practice law in Tuvalu but head of the corruption watchdog in Fiji.
What gives?
UPDATE TUESDAY PM:
Janet Mason confirms Grubsheet’s account of the dismissal of the FICAC chief investigator by the increasingly rogue Commissioner.
She refers to the action of Barbara Malimali in sacking Kuliniasi Saumi as having the potential to deter other witnesses from giving evidence to the COI and preventing him from having access to FICAC files to give further evidence himself.
This constitutes clear interference in the conduct of the Inquiry and Barbara Malimali has left herself open to a charge of contempt.
The police have also confirmed that Saumi has filed an official complaint against the Siren of Tuvalu, who is now very much on rocky ground herself.
That’s a classic case of adverse action – one which should not go unchallenged.
I don’t think the COI bench will be too pleased to learn about this alleged action by BM.
The “siren of Tuvalu” !! Distinguished legal eagles have “queens counsel” or “Senior counsel” while our own Barbra has a new title !!
And this is exactly why people should stand aside whilst under investigation.
So that they do not interfere with the process!
What is so special about this person anyway that she keeps her job while she is being investigated?
The problem here is that Malimali was given specific instructions to close down the FICAC investigations on Biman, Lynda Tabuya and Manoa Kamikamica!!! And those are the sharks being assisted by none other than Ropate Green the Solicitor General who’s also best friend of Chief Registrar and convicted felon Bainivalu!!
Ropate Green is not only racist but is a corrupt person whose undermining every action of AG The learned Graham Leung by stacking his mates and goons everywhere within the AGs office and around the judiciary assisted by Chief Justice Salesi Temo!
What Rabuka doesn’t know is that Ropate Green and Seromi Turaga have plotted to ensure when the time comes, Rabuka will be behind bars for a very very long time !!
Ropate Green will avenge the dismissal of the late Ratu Vananalagi Vesikula whose reported to have died shortly after his contract as head of the Native Land Commission was not renewed by the Coalition Government. Green whose Seromi’s left cherry like his buddy has not accepted Leung replacing Seromi so they are making sure Leung does not get any say in the affairs of the AG’s Chambers!
The latest antics by Malimali would have been given fire power by SG himself as most of these activities require legal opinion by his office! Vakaloloma ga na puaka Lalai!
Rabuka iko sa rui moce boko! Ona moce tu ga ra take over nai lala qo who are acting on the instructions of Manoa and assisted by Biman and Blinky Bill who all hate your guts and have no respect for you except sympathy as they often say during grog sessions !
Sad state of affairs and if Malimali is allowed to get away with her latest actions, then she should also be charged with criminal intimidation in an attempt to covert the course of justice !
Vakarerevaki!!
It also demonstrates why the cover up is worse than the crime. It’s now possible that in an incredible irony FICAC may have corruptly used funds to pay a lawyer… this is truly amazing.
FICAC should be investigating how persons acting in a public official capacity managed to recommend tax holidays to their private client. Truly confidence in Fiji and the rule of law has collapsed.
It’s all been so predictable and this is not a vote for the last government but just a note to show how badly its critics have behaved.
I think MaliMali is a law unto herself because she was appointed by god. She is a gift to the people of Fiji.
Question now is how she became a fit and proper person in the Fiji criminal justice system? Does this mean that she followed the steps of Lynda Tubuya to obtain her credentials? If yes then how many of them were involved? To me it seems that the whole system has gone insane and corrupt. How many of the ministers are involved and why is the Fiji Law Society continuing to remain silent?
Because every sinner has a future, Mich.
See below story about kuini of tartti
Those who think that by putting their “own people” in positions to protect their interests they are safe have not learnt any lessons. Just ask Bai and Kai what happened when they put their own people in positions to protect themselves.
The PM and his cronies certainly have not learnt. In fact, the whole population of Fiji have not learnt any lessons from history. Why else would they put a well known dickhead as their PM again?
It is not limited to Fiji. Today we are commemorating the 80th aniversary of the Holocaust, but these things are still happening today. Look at Kosovo and the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Iraq, Syria and should I mention Gaza and Ukraine.History keeps repeating without any lessons being learnt.
The fact is the “own people” always act in their own self interest. Just look at the G9.
NOT SUPRISING.
BM’s bestie, Prem Shekhar, who is supposedly her next of kin ( well this is what Prem said in Ficac office) is her legal advisor.
Though Prem Shekhar can’t speak English well but she is as venomous as Barbwire. Prem the woman who has PhD in lumuri and Barbwire PhD in vengeful attitude. Prem also known for her LT ways as BM. Yes that’s the truth. 2 daughters but different father’s. 1 a former senior lecturer of usp.
Barbwire your days are numbered. This poor guy has a family to feed. How heartless you are. He spoke the truth and you kicked him out. How many more truth speaking people’s mouth will you close?
Soon you will be helping your bestie Prem with selling biryani and roti in school of law USP since it is Prem’s another source of income selling roti from her office.
Barbwire’s hideout is Prems office at school of law Statham Campus. What cooks inside Prem’s office is liumuri pancakes, spicy curry, bitter roti and biryani.
COI will be upset to hear how one of the crucial witnesses has been kicked out for speaking the truth.
It’s all out war now. I taukei vs I taukei. It’s everywhere. In government, civil service, judiciary, out in the streets, villages, schools etc. Vulagis are being blamed for their weaknesses.
FICAC needs to be abolished. This was a creation of the Fuhrer and his dummy to crack down on their critics in a “legal” way. And now, the ruling party are just using it to their advantage.
There is nothing worse than moronic lawyers becoming Ministers and judicial officers. The institutions still command same standards everywhere. These morons are constantly manipulating its workings and no Legal entity in Fiji dares to comment. Onya GD.
Just like Hitler’s Nazis, anyone who speaks out against this government is destroyed.
As long as you’re saying “Heil Rabuka” you’re in the club. Barbwire is Heinrich Himmler incarnate, as she cuts down anyone speaking out against the pro iTaukei regime.
Ironically, the wolves in power have become hungry and are now resorting to cannibalism, and killing each other professionally, as is the case of Saumi.
Nothing surprises me anymore.
Just another day in Fiji.
World Bank announces $400m investment in the northern divisions.
Road and airports on the list.
Guess who will get the contracts? No other than the scammer himself Rob Semaan.
The corruption in this country is next level. Everyday, they wake up and ask their dear God/Kalou for another opportunity for corruption. The villagers will benefit given the chance to supply rourou and tavioka to the workers. That will keep them happy.
This is Fiji. The poor get poorer, everyday.
JUST shut down this FICOCK office. GD – what is the easiest way to shut them down? Detail it and Rambo might listen to you.
Rambo listen to me? Only when I breathe my last and he says “that’s the end of him”. 🙂
Yes, all this is happening because correct decisions were not taken in the first place. Malimali should have been suspended before the start of the Commission of Inquiry.
She is now making decisions such as this one to take revenge. She will make more such decisions on anyone who goes against her. FICAC has now completely lost its integrity and independence.
It’s strange that legal eagles Leung and Siromi in Rabuka’s cabinet are useless and ineffective.
Malimali is acting like this because there are powers who are shielding her. Is it Rabuka, Naiqana or Temo, or all three, including the two useless cabinet ministers?
A lot of hope is on Justice Ashton Lewis and his report at the end of the inquiry.
Clearly we a dealing with an unstable person who pretends to have selective hearing, and little knowledge of conventional procedures.. This person over the years have done well to mask the condition as over exhuberance. All above and below this person must beware and forewarned.
Rambo’s indecision, incompetent and corrupt leadership is slowly but surely sinking PAP’s 2026 election chances.
Barbara is a law unto herself, whose 5 minutes of infamy is about to time out, and Lynda, an international and national embarrassment, are Rambo’s trojan horse.
These clowns have no business or place in national or political leadership.
“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Time’s up Rambo!
If this dismissal was a punitive and examplary action ( to warn others who don’t say or do what Malimali and/or her cohorts want, and done openly without any apparent fear by Malimali, then this is an extremely concerning turn of events.
Another expensive case looms if the staffer sacked is proven to have been unfairly dismissed in a court or employment disputes tribunal. It will be the taxpayer again that will have to pay compensation for Malimali’s incompetence or revenge against the Ficac manager.
The primary school playground fights, biting, crying and running to the teacher constantly in tit for tat tell-tale behaviour has now reached Putin ‘s KGB hit squad type operations but blatantly in the public arena.
Be afraid. Be very afraid if this is normalised and accepted by the Fijian public and the various entities who are in a position to do so should counter and resist what’s happening.
Only in Fiji and other banana republics is it that people who are being investigated are not asked to step aside.
So sickening to see the contempt for the law by these people. Unfortunately that is a symptom of a Banana Republic.
People should be very worried. We are now a SEMI DEMOCRATIC REGIME.
Demarcations have been eviscerated, and powers consolidated.
×A lot of hope is on Justice Ashton Lewis and his report at the end of the inquiry.×x
About which the public will hear or see nothing. The report will be secret. The COI is secret. The pedo will have no gumption to release the report when they are all part of the problem– AG/CJ/PM/FICAC/ODPP/SG, Just-us ministry baboon, drunk registrar unlawful society wiley coyote, baimaan, drunk sugar jungalee, and other corrupt convict ministers who were under the microscope.
The report will never see the light of day. And everyone in Fiji will move on without question.
No questions especially from our free media.
Never give people who are part of the problem the task of fixing the problem.
One of the biggest reasons to have Expats fill roles in Fiji was for their independence and ability to pass judgement without fear or favour, particularly in a small island nation with extreme interconnectedness.
Since the Coalition have been in, Justice Ashton Lewis seems to be the only official capable of passing judgement without fear or favour, only because he isn’t a resident of Fiji sadly.
The Coalition are completely dependent on such “fear or favour decisions” because they lack the integrity and intelligence to make any other decisions.