It was an emotional moment as the family of the late former Native Land Trust Board General Manager Kalivati Bakani who was charged with abuse of office, and later jailed, provided their submission detailing their emotional, social and financial hardship to the Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Bakani was sentenced to four years imprisonment with a non-parole period of three years.
He had pleaded guilty to five counts of abuse of office.
Matriarch of the family, Valeria Bakani says after the coup in December 2006, her husband was sent on leave, when he returned to work in February 2007, two military personnel including a colonel ordered him to leave immediately and he was escorted out.
Bakani says they also noticed a red police vehicle parked at the end of the road where they lived as their home was constantly under 24 hour surveillance with her husband being questioned by soldiers any time they wanted to.
Bakani says there were 25 trumped up charges against her husband who started attending court proceedings from 2008, with some charges being dropped confusing the family even more.
One of Kalivati Bakani’s daughters, Nanise Bakani says at one point in 2014 her father told her that he was just so tired, and wanted to go to prison and save time, so that he could come out and spend quality time with his grandchildren.
Bakani says a moment she recalls very clearly is when her father was rushed down to the Sigatoka Court by FICAC, adding that they were following the vehicle and it took them just an hour to reach Sigatoka.
She says this was because there were no lawyers, magistrates or judges in Suva as they were all out for a conference.
Bakani says all this rush to Sigatoka was just for her father to be asked if he was going to plead guilty or not guilty.
She says in August 2014, the court room was full of people as her father was sentenced to prison, and she almost collapsed in court, with her family holding her up.
Kalivati Bakani Junior says he had a different perspective from his siblings as he was on the other side of the world in England, where he was serving in the British Army.
Bakani Junior says even his wife has not met his father as she was not allowed in to see him when they visited Fiji in 2015.
At the end of their submissions, the Bakani family had some suggestions like compensation for their mother for the wages lost on all those years their father was fighting his case in court.
They also asked if things like morals and values can be added to the school curriculum from primary school all the way through to secondary school.
The sessions with the Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission will continue for the next couple of weeks.
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