The FICAC scandal is now front page news in the two main dailies on Friday, though neither have Grubsheet’s exclusive from yesterday that using her multiple entry visa for Australia, the former FICAC deputy commissioner has fled Fiji and is now reportedly in Brisbane beyond the reach of her tormentors. (see previous story)
Francis Puleiwai got out just before Coalition goons raided her home looking for her. And she also beat a stop departure order in the nick of time that would have reportedly seen her detained and charged with abuse of office, perversely for upholding the integrity of her office.
The Coalition is now on the back foot, scrambling to regain control of the narrative and suddenly realising that silence isn’t going to make this issue go away. For several days, the pro-government Fiji Times has ignored the story altogether while the Fiji Sun makes all the running with a series of front page stories and editorials that have been a political disaster for the Coalition.
But this is now too big for even the toadies at the Fiji Times to ignore. And it is about to get even bigger when the realisation sets in that Francis Puleiwai is in Australia and able freely to tell her side of the story. Nothing can now prevent her from revealing just how much political pressure was put on her as she investigated up to nine government ministers and was forced to resign on the very day one of the most senior ministers, Biman Prasad, was to be charged last Thursday for abuse of office (The allegations against him are all over Fijileaks. Take a look)
The Opposition has also found its voice, with the man who is still the official Opposition Leader, Inia Seruiratu, joining his parliamentary colleague, Jone Usamate, and political figures outside the parliament – the former prime minister, Mahendra Chaudhry and Unity leader Savenaca Narube – in flailing the government over the appointment of Barbara Malimali, who was being investigated by FICAC herself for alleged abuse of office as Chair of the Electoral Commission.
The Coalition and Malimali are as inept at deflecting this criticism as they are in preventing Francis Puleiwai from leaving Fiji. We have the extraordinary spectacle this morning of Barbara Malimali claiming on the one hand that hers is not a political appointment and she is independent and simultaneously mounting a political attack on Inia Seruiratu over his alleged failure during the FijiFirst years to speak up and prevent Frank Bainimarama‘s brother-in-law, Francis Kean, from becoming corrective services commissioner.
Nobody seems to have told the new FICAC Commissioner that if she wants to maintain the pretence of being independent and apolitical, it is the worst possible look to get stuck into the Opposition Leader just because he highlights the bleeding obvious – that arguing that Barbara Malimali is independent is Fiji’s biggest political joke.
- FACT: Barbara Malmali was a strong and vocal supporter of the People’s Alliance going into the last election.
- FACT: She bitterly complained on Facebook after the election that the new government wasn’t giving its supporters jobs.
- FACT: She subsequently got a job as Chair of the Electoral Commission, where we have documentary evidence that she was interfering in the Elections Office by insisting that the Supervisor of Elections, Ana Mataiciwa, inform her of any reference she made to FICAC and made a specific intervention in the case of her old friend and political fellow traveller, Lynda Tabuya (see below).
- FACT: Last week it became known that “Bad Barbie” was taking over FICAC in a naked political assault to block the investigations of the nine government ministers and the charging of Biman Prasad. And she claims her appointment wasn’t political??? They really do think we are stupid, Fiji.
There’s a similarly gobsmacking story on the front page of today’s Fiji Sun in which Biman Prasad – the Deputy Prime Minister and NFP leader – claims that the FICAC case against him was “baseless”, presumably as a prelude to Barbara Malimali as the new broom at Rev John Hunt House throttling the charge against him altogether.
MEMO Biman Prasad: It doesn’t matter what your lawyers think. It is for them to tell that to a judge. You had been investigated by FICAC for alleged abuse of office and Francis Puleiwai informed several ministers that you were about to be charged. That means FICAC had already decided that sufficient evidence existed for there to be a reasonable chance of securing a conviction in the courts and that your prosecution was in the public interest.
The next stage was for you to be charged and for a trial to occur in which your guilt or innocence was established by a judge. Instead, you and your lawyers have opined that the case against you is “baseless”. That is only an opinion. It is not a judgment in a court of law. And you and your cabinet colleagues have used your power to circumvent the process altogether.
MEMO Biman Prasad: It’s called perverting the course of justice, blocking the law from taking its course. And there is another word for it – corruption. This whole episode is a scandal from top to bottom and finally, mercifully, the opposition – those we pay to keep these bastards honest – are doing their jobs.
1/ It is astonishing that the Judicial Services Commission headed by the Acting Chief Justice, Salesi Temo, chose Barbara Malimali to be FICAC Commissioner in the first place when it must have known she was being investigated by FICAC.
2/ It is astonishing that the JSC ignored her record of partisan support for the Coalition when any FICAC commissioner must be independent as a matter of course.
3/ And it is astonishing that the JSC also ignored her record of intemperate outbursts in the courts and history of racism in advocating for indigenous supremacy, which axiomatically means that minorities are at a disadvantage at FICAC. Unless, of course, they are necessary to prop up an iTaukei dominated government.
All this has now been compounded by Barbara Malimali launching a full-blown attack on the Opposition leader for daring to question her appointment and hurling irrelevant accusations at him, Barbara Malimali – in one fell swoop – has demonstrated in today’s Fiji Times that she is totally unfit to be at the head of the Fiji INDEPENDENT Commission Against Corruption. And she must be removed as a matter of urgency to protect any remaining semblance of integrity in our institutions of state.
Biman Prasad must also face the full force of the law by having the charges against him that were thwarted last Thursday reinstated so that they can be tested in a court of law, not decided by him and his lawyers.
There is now a stench surrounding the entire conduct of this government that has spread to our institutions of state, including FICAC, the ODPP and the judiciary headed by the outlaw Salesi Temo. And the Fijian people have a right to demand that their elected representatives stop that assault and return the nation to proper governance and the rule of law.
If they won’t do so, it is time for the RFMF to use its power under the constitution to protect the wellbeing of the Fijian people by having their constitutional rights upheld and acting in concert with the President, force the country to a fresh election. Because this corruption and naked attempt to euthanise the corruption watchdog cannot be tolerated. The national interest and the rule of law in Fiji are now very much at stake.
Evidence that Barbara Malimali was interfering in the independence of the Supervisor of Elections – presumably part of the FICAC case against her that has now been throttled.
UPDATE FRIDAY PM:
Mahendra Chaudhry latest statement on the FICAC debacle on Friday, echoing Grubsheet’s sentiments above.
Thank you Graham for publishing the facts.
Fiji is in a dangerous position right now. The people of Fiji and the Commander should not take this lightly at all. This WILL hurt!
Brace ready and watch the fallen house get destroyed. Everyone was warned that things will only get worse yet the useless army commander was busy praising himself as a saviour from Vosarogo.
Brace rawa.
If Malimali and her corrupt lot thought they are smart and they can bend the law then they were all wrong.
This show is going out with a bang.
I think the PM should appoint two more AGs. So we will have AG1, AG2 and AG3. The current AG must have his hands very full at the moment putting out fires on several fronts. He is obviously a professional and is setting very high standards. We do not wish these high standards to falter due to work pressures. Just like the three DPMs who all are doing an excellent job in running the economy, I believe there should be more AGs to spread the work. Because right now there seems to be just too many fires burning in the judiciary and related areas and we do not wish the professionalism and high standards to wane at this critical time during Fiji’s development. The PM can always recruit the extra hands from the G9, the former Fiji First members.
Maybe he should think about splitting up another Ministry into the Ministry of Women and two more – Ministry of Social Protection and Ministry of Poverty Alleviation. He needs to spread the love a little more. There are plenty of able men in the G9.
For over a year the people of Fiji have lost faith in the Prime Minister, nearly all its cabinet ministers, the opposition, the President, the judiciary, FICAC, and the supposedly feminist judiciary who blew the same whistle as the other corrupt lot in this list did.
People are calling for a reset as the country has over 8 Ministers and the Prime Minister under investigation. We should have never let this get this far but bad leadership will only lead to more corruption and chaos.
Tabuya’s husband is given multi million dollar contracts without following right processes. Tabuya gives her village thousands directly through the Chinese Embassy.
Rabuku appointed as acting DPP while the government and past AG knew it was illegal. We all knew it was illegal. Mayhem at its best and total disregard to everything.
Biman was going to be charged. Charged is the word and why hasn’t that happened? Why is the government all over FICAC? Simply because these corrupt politicians are safeguarding themselves. They are not serving the poor anymore. They are only there for their own good.
The country is on its knees now.
Where art thou, Jone?
Stop the sleeping at RFMF and get the f**k up and do your job.
The writing has been on the wall and you have been busy praising yourself and crying crocodile tears for the bullshit Truth and Reconciliation. Start with the truth that needs sorting out today as you are failing the nation and not protecting the constitution of this country. We have had enough.
Fiji, get on the streets.
March and protest.
We must demand change now.
Enough is enough.
Who bloody came up with Ficac in first place .
Abolish Ficac
What a waste of tax payers money.
Full stop.
Create an arm for police and let them do the job.
Like SFO with proffesionals made up of forensic accountants and investigators.
Heaps of graduates in Fiji and they don’t have jobs.
How much do you trust Fiji Police with anything?
You don’t understand boci
Biman: the accusations are not substantial enough to offer charges.
Since when did Biman become the judge?
Who gave him the right to decide this?
How are the affairs of FICAC separate from the Government now?
Right there is corruption and fraudulent evidence of an MP taking the law in his hands.
He should be charged and arrested immediately.
Barbarism Malimali writing to Ana Mataiciwa to “table all complaints she receives ….before sending it to FICAC” is an absolute disgrace, breach of protocols and professional misconduct.
Who gives her the right to:
1. Have an oversight on who is sent to FICAC for investigation?
2. Be in a conflicting position to make the decisions when she is under investigation herself?
Why were the President and the Prime Minister of Fiji advised that Malimali was the right choice to lead FICAC given that she was under investigation herself?
How did Leung get 4 or 5 members of FICAC to declare that Malimali was free of any wrongdoing? Was he the AG and declaring over what is right when someone is under investigation? Isn’t that the job of the courts in Fiji or has procedures changed dramatically?
Unfortunately the corrupt government and politicians are getting worse. Fiji needs a clean sweep. An interim government caretaker to be in place immediately.
Thank you GD for shedding a light on the corruption in this country. I am deeply worried about my children’s future and what does this country hold for them. I can see why Fijian Indians have left this country. They have been wise. We now as indigenous people of Fiji have to do the same. This country have been like this for nearly 40 years with our own people at leadership and we have no better leaders. For me as a mother this is my last chance. I have persuaded my children to leave as they are now well educated. There is no future for them and their children here. Like the Fiji Indians we have to now endure letting the pain of seeing our children leave. For their good, sadly.
Biman and his lawyers have become an unsightly turd on the lawn
I think what Biman is arguing is that he hasn’t breached the Political Parties Act with his declarations because he’s declared any directorships or other office in a corporation or other organisation whether in Fiji or abroad held by his family.
Because according to the leaks what hasn’t been declared are his wife’s positions in femLINKpacific, Global Girmit Institute and Pacific Polytech. But the catch is that if all of thsese positions don’t provide any income in the form of shares, dividends, or fees it does not have to be declared.
In the case of the positions held by Biman’s wife in Global Girmit Institute and Pacific Polytech, isn’t there conflict of interest that cabinet ministers have to declare under cabinet rules and guidelines?
So unless FICAC has discovered a payout from any of the organisations then there really isn’t a basis for a charge. If this is the case then I can understand why Biman is so adamant. It seems that FICAC’s interpretation of the political parties act differs from Biman’s lawyers interpretation of the act. And I can bet that Biman’s lawyers consulted a King’s Counsel and retired members of the judiciary on the matter given that they are so willing to stand on their opinion.
Oh dear. Have you been reading any of the points being made? It is not about the opinions of Biman Prasad and his lawyers but hard EVIDENCE. I repeat: FICAC will have made a decision that there was sufficient evidence to achieve a reasonable prospect of a conviction and that its prosecution was in the public interest.
If they had enough evidence to charge Biman Prasad, it is for the courts to decide the outcome, not for the accused, his lawyers and a peanut gallery of his supporters. We deserve courts of law, not courts of public opinion.
In the matter of his assets declaration, If there was sufficient HARD Evidence against Biman do you not think it logical that Fiji First would have got on to him and sought a conviction via FICAC / Judiciary?
And having this arm’s length objective conclusion after looking at what evidence has been publicly put up, does not make someone a peanut brain supporter of Biman. Unless there is other more substantial evidence that us stupid public opinionated peanuts aren’t privy to ( and there may well be more and stronger evidence known or undetected yet by FICAC) there are no ” weapons of mass destruction”. Remember Tony Blair and Iraq.
Yes of course Bimans lawyers are not the adjudicators, the court is. His lawyers may call the charges baseless but they have to contest it if he is charged. Unfortunately some of us can see that his lawyers stand a very good chance of this being a stroll in the park to win for their client in front of an unbiased judge…and a win for him will give him a higher moral ground to the public and this will be exploited, possibly to the detriment of any future much stronger cases against him.
Knowing how careful Biman has been when he was in opposition with his filing of declarations he would have to have become completely lackadaisical for this to have happened. And so would have his lawyers with them having to witness and sign off on the declarations. And even his accountants for that matter.
Honestly, it would be much more believable if the charge was for anything else such as something to do with his business or conduct as minister like the other ministers under FICAC investigation.
Why was it Fiji First’s job to get to him? There a level of silliness and this is an example of exactly that.
Graham, you are instigating a witch hunt. Demented leader of the lynch mob. Trial by social media. Trying to get a man arrested on flimsy evidence and trumped up charges. Instigator of baying mob. Take a chill pin. Relax, old man.
I’m running out of popcorn which is essential to read the spin or “eh, sorry, we made a mistake” or “I had no awareness of this” that’s to come from Rabuka. He and the coalition must be getting exhausted and sleep deprived coming up with more BS to cover their childish blunders.
What this Commander forgets is its it’s not about winning the war, it’s more important to organise the peace.
Before his very eyes the Constitution is being twisted out of shape far removed fm its original purpose, towards what we witnessing now in the dramas over the appointment of a new FICAC Commissioner.
We have effectively become a society where there is one law for the itaukei, and one law for all others.
Grubsheet.. Reach out to Ms Frances Puleiwai and introduce her to All Australian TV Channels, 60 Minutes, SBS, Media.. let her drop the bombshell AND all the hard work by you and Victor Lal will be rewarded
Sanjay, regrettably I think there will be little interest on the part of the Australian media in this story. It is too parochial for them and doesn’t have a Chinese angle.
Sadly everything about Fiji is parochial. But all the crooks in government and related institutions think they are all proudly important and entitled. The proudly entitled mindset is a HUGE problem. And should I mention the provincialism mindset? Everyone of them are so proud to be backward looking and vindictive.
When you look at it, the whole country has that mindset and then they all wonder why they are where they are?
GD – Lice Movono works for ABC and based in Fiji. But she is more focused on what’s happening at Miss Hibiscus than the real news.
Not quite. it is the other way around: abc works for lice. She decides what to ‘report’ on based on lice’s own opionatef slant, and when to report.
Malimali: People can say what they want to say about my appointment. But I know and what has already been said by the JSC is that I was the best candidate for the role.
Fact check: JSC also said the same about Rabuku as Acting Director for Public Prosecutions. That was a lie.
“… it is time for the RFMF to use its power… force the country to a fresh election.. ”
‘RFMF’, ‘power’, and ‘force’ – all in one sentence… This is an interesting – if not concerning – choice of words… Are you advocating another coup d’état, or am I missing something here?
Don’t get me wrong, I want to see Malimali and her enablers – the whole bang lot of ’em – out on their arses, but can you not recommend an alternative that does not include these three little “words”?
The 2013 Constitution gives the RFMF the specific role of having the ultimate responsibility to safeguard the defence and wellbeing of Fiji and the Fijian people.
I am not advocating a coup. Far from it. But there is nothing to stop the RFMF from working with the President of the Republic to announce a date for a fresh election.
I wouldn’t be advocating this course of action had not FijiFirst – which won the majority of seats at the last election – simply imploded and there is no longer an effective opposition.
The Coalition won by one vote on the floor of the parliament. That is not a mandate to subvert the rule of law. Ergo, let the people decide.
Am glad you recognise that the Comd and his goon squad are not the arbiter here. Its the people. So lets wait till 2026 when the ballot box will be opened. Meantime, enjoy the ride.
Pulewai and Ana are trigger happy goons. When the President appoints a Commissioner, no one else can ursurp the Commissioners powers as of that minute. She was trying to do a mini coup. All she should have done is direct the pending case against the incoming Commissioner to complete.
As for the case against Malimali, she issued a written directive to the SOE. The SOE is subservient and reports to the Election Commissioners.
Your analysis is wrong.
Simple as abc. Does Fiji have a constitution? Oh it does eh. Follow, abide by it, and enforce it as required then, Mr Jone (asleep at the wheel) RFMF Commander.
At the end of the day, after all is said and done, this is ITaukei land. They make the laws as they go to suit their purposes. Vulagis should know and stay in their rightful place. They have rights and entitlements in their own country. Vulagi laws do not apply here, and vulagis will not control government any longer whatever the cost. If that means we go towards Zimbabwe, so be it. All those who do not want that can leave.
This is God’s country and we are only answerable to a vulagi God.
The government of 3 legged needs to go. End of story. We don’t want to see another josefa kamikamica. Manoa is following his foot step.
Wrong. Jo Kamikamica was a person of great integrity but his son is a big disappointment. He isn’t following in his father’s footsteps at all.
Isa Fiji 🙁 The trajectory downwards is nothing short of tragic. From Bad in 1987 to Okay to Worse to Tragedy in 2023. Where to next?