Trial begins for Fiji’s former prime minister Frank Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho

Former Fiji PM Frank Bainimarama (left) and Sitiveni Qiliho. Photo / NZH file, Fijian government

By RNZ

Fiji’s former prime minister Frank Bainimarama and suspended police commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho are back in court today for the start of their corruption trial.

The charge being brought against Bainimarama is attempting to pervert the course of justice, and Qiliho is facing one count of abuse of office.

The allegations are related to a complaint filed by the University of the South Pacific in July 2019 concerning the actions of former staff members of the regional university.

According to the public prosecution office, Bainimarama and Qiliho are alleged to have arbitrarily, and in abuse of the authority of their respective offices, directed the termination of an active investigation.

According to fijivillage.com, in July 2020, then-prime minister Bainimarama allegedly directed Qiliho to stop the investigation into the complaint.

It is alleged that Qiliho, as the police commissioner on July 15, 2020, directed Criminal Investigations Department director Serupepeli Neiko and Inspector Reshmi Dass to stop investigations into the police complaint by the USP, in the abuse of the authority of his office, which was an arbitrary act prejudicial to the rights of USP.

Bainimarama and Qiliho are represented by R Patel Lawyers’ Devanesh Sharma and Gul Fatima, while acting director of public prosecutions Ratu David Toganivalu is representing the state.

The trial, which was scheduled to start at 10.30am on Monday local time, is set down for two weeks.