Ratu Wiliame Katonivere declines Presidential nomination after an internal audit and investigation report

Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka confirms that President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere decided to decline Rabuka's nomination of him to serve a second term of three years as President of Fiji after he saw an internal audit and investigation report.

We had asked Rabuka on whether he had met Ratu Wiliame in Auckland last week and advised him that he was withdrawing Ratu Wiliame's nomination, and for him to formally withdraw.

fijivillage News has gathered that Rabuka met with Ratu Wiliame for about 10 minutes in a meeting room at a hotel in Auckland.

We also asked Rabuka how did Ratu Naiqama's name come in as a nomination for President.

While responding to our questions, Rabuka said he informed Ratu Wiliame Katonivere that an Internal Audit and an Internal Investigation Report was reported to him by the Board Chairperson of three Government Companies Ratu Wiliame had served on.

Rabuka says these were then subjected to forensic reexamination and to the Attorney General for advice on whether to prosecute or not.

He says it was then that Ratu Wiliame felt he should decline the Prime Minister's nomination of him.

Rabuka says after that, he called Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, who has served Fiji well in his various careers as well as in his role as the paramount chief of Cakaudrove, considering his position in the conventional National Order of Precedence, if he would accept Rabuka's nomination.

He says having secured that, he informed Cabinet and his Party Leadership and Caucus on Tuesday.

We have asked what is the next step regarding the internal audit and internal investigation report. He is yet to respond.

A senior Australian jurist and current Judge of the Supreme Court of Fiji, Justice David E. Ashton-Lewis has been appointed as the sole Commissioner to inquire into the recent appointment of the Commissioner of FICAC, Barbara Malimali.

Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka says President, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere has signed off for the Commission of Inquiry, the Commissioner to be appointed and the counsel assisting the Commissioner.

The Commission of Inquiry will assess and determine whether the appointment process of Malimali was conducted with integrity, fairness, and transparency, in accordance with the law.

The inquiry will also examine whether there were any improper or unlawful influences in the process leading to the appointment of the FICAC Commissioner.

The Terms of Reference of the Commission will also consider whether the process and the appointment of Commissioner Malimali were unlawfully or improperly influenced by vested interests, including current FICAC cases or investigations involving high-profile individuals, such as Members of Parliament, Ministers, and senior public servants.

Justice Ashton-Lewis was previously appointed by the President in 2023 to chair the Constitutional Tribunal to inquire into allegations of misconduct against former Chief Justice Kamal Kumar. Chief Justice Kumar passed away before the Tribunal could commence hearings into the allegations.

The President has also appointed Janet Mason, a senior barrister, as Counsel assisting the Commission.

Mason holds both New Zealand and Fijian citizenship. She is admitted to both the Fiji and New Zealand Bars.

She has extensive experience in public, governance, and constitutional law, having served as Legal Counsel to the Great Council of Chiefs.

She has also played a significant role in the negotiation team for the Treaty of Waitangi Settlement.

They are expected to arrive in Fiji soon and will be sworn into office.

Arrangements are already underway to establish a secretariat that will facilitate the work of the Commission.

The Prime Minister had earlier stated that a Commission of Inquiry is the most appropriate and impartial means to address allegations surrounding the work of FICAC.

Rabuka was responding to questions from local media organisations regarding an interview given to overseas media by Francis Puleiwai, the former Acting Deputy Commissioner of FICAC.

He explained that an independent commission would be better positioned to address the issues raised by Puleiwai, particularly those involving alleged ministerial interference in FICAC investigations.