Court to deliver ruling in Bainimarama and Qiliho's case at 3pm today

Suva Magistrate Seini Puamau will deliver her ruling in former Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended Police Commissioner, Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho’s trial, at 3pm today.

The defence counsel has filed a no case to answer application.

If Magistrate Puamau rules that there is no case to answer then Bainimarama and Qiliho will be acquitted today.

If she rules that there is a case to answer, then Bainimarama and Qiliho’s counsel has to present their case.

Bainimarama is charged with a count of attempt to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho is charged with a count of abuse of office.

It is alleged that Bainimarama sometime in July 2020 as the Prime Minister directed the Police Commissioner to stop the investigation into a police complaint, in the abuse of the authority of his office, which was an arbitrary act prejudicial to the rights of the University of the South Pacific which is the complainant.

It is alleged that Qiliho on the 15th of July, 2020 as the Police Commissioner directed the Director of the Criminal Investigations Department, 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 arbitrary act of prejudicial to the rights to USP.