Bainimarama and Qiliho's trial set for next year for case of allegedly making unwarranted demands

The trial of former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and former Police Commissioner, Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho where they are charged with unwarranted demands made by a public official and abuse of office respectively, will begin on the 2nd of June and go on for 6 weeks, until the 11th of July next year.

Bainimarama and Qiliho's lawyer, Devanesh Sharma says they are still looking at documents for any admission.

He says the trial will go for 6 weeks as they have 30 witnesses as there are no agreed facts.

The pre-trial conference is on the 13th of January.

Bainimarama has pleaded not guilty to one count of unwarranted demand made by a public official, while Qiliho has pleaded not guilty to two counts of abuse of office before Magistrate Jeremaia Savou.

It is alleged that Bainimarama, between the 21st of May 2021 to the 18th of August 2021 in Suva, being employed as a public official, gave an unwarranted demand to Rusiate Tudravu, to terminate the employment of Sergeant Penieli Ratei and Police Constable Tomasi Naulu from the Fiji Police Force, and if he did not terminate the officers, he was to hand in his resignation.

His demand was directly related to Bainimarama’s official capacity as the Prime Minister of Fiji, and was done with the intention of influencing Tudravu, a public official, in the exercise of his official duty as the Acting Commissioner of Police.

It is alleged that Qiliho, between the 5th to the 18th of August 2021 in Suva, being employed as the Commissioner of Police, reviewed the disciplinary decision given by Rusiate Tudravu as the Acting Commissioner of Police against Sergeant Penieli Ratei and Police Constable Tomasi Naulu which was five equivalent paid working days, and contrary to this decision terminated the employment of Ratei and Naulu from the Fiji Police Force in the abuse of the authority of his office which was an arbitrary act, prejudicial to the rights of Ratei and Naulu.