Tevita Vakalalabure, lawyer and husband of Acting FICAC Commissioner, Lavi Rokoika, has today confirmed that he goes to his wife's FICAC office when she stays late to do her work and during the weekends, as he is concerned about her safety, and he is there to support his spouse.
There have been reports that Vakalalabure has been at the office and issues of a breach of confidentiality is now being raised by a whistleblower who has written to the Judicial Services Commission and the Legal Practitioners Unit earlier this week.
The whistleblower has written that they have observed Rokoika's husband spending extended hours in her private office.
It further says there is a strong suspicion among staff that he has been allegedly permitted access to sensitive and confidential FICAC files.
fijivillage News has also been informed by some staff members that Vakalalabure is often seen inside the Commissioner's office, and some staff have told us that they have even allegedly seen him sitting and reviewing the FICAC Strategic Plan, which they say was an unacceptable and awkward situation.
When we put the questions to Vakalalabure, he says his wife works very hard, and she stays late at the office from when she started.
He says he is not privy to what she does but like every spouse he is there to support her.
He add we do not know what can happen as the FICAC drivers are not trained security guards.
Vakalalabure says he is worried when his wife is working late and coming out in the weekends as the place is empty.
He says when she stays late, he goes and accompanies her in the office, and they do their own work as he has work to do for his law firm.
Vakalalabure denies the staff claims that he was reviewing the FICAC Strategic Plan in his wife's office.
He says he and his wife are lawyers and they are professionals.
He then asks whether people are saying that his wife is incapable, and raised concerns about the type of malicious comments against her.
Vakalalabure says he respects and will always protect freedom of expression, but he is only at her office as a responsible husband.
When asked on the conflict of interest knowing that he has a law firm and it would be seen as an issue going into the FICAC Commissioner's office all the time and the fact that FICAC was also investigating his brother who is the CEO of the Fiji Sports Council, Vakalalabure said he just goes to visit his spouse and does his own work, and there is no conflict of interest.
He went on to say he also goes and has coffee with his wife in her office after he finishes from court.
Vakalalabure maintains that there are a lot of people who are threatened by what FICAC does, and he remains concerned for his wife.
He says he can see all the swear words and the attacks against his wife.
We also asked him on the whistleblower who is a former Fiji Sports Council employee raising concerning cases of conflict of interest like Rokoika and Vakalalabure Lawyers Limited, owned by Tevita Vakalalabure and Lavi Rokoika who are the brother and sister-in-law of current CEO of Fiji Sports Council, Gilbert Vakalalabure, having an office space at the National Hockey Centre which is a Sports Council facility.
The former council staff said there was just verbal communication by Gilbert Vakalalabure to facilitate the order last year that the law firm will be renting the office space at the Fiji Hockey Centre.
He says this is concerning as many sporting bodies have requested for office space in the past but they were shut out.
In response, Tevita Vakalalabure says he is a tenant of the Fiji Sports Council, and has been there since 2024.
He says all these are allegations and they are lawyers.
We have also sent several questions to Acting FICAC Commissioner, Lavi Rokoika. She has not responded.
Gilbert Vakalalabure has also not made any comments.
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