Judgement Day for Bainimarama and Qiliho next Thursday

Former Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended Police Commissioner, Sitiveni Qiliho will know their fate next Thursday when Magistrate Seini Puamau delivers her judgement.

DPP lawyer Nimisha Shankar and Bainimarama and Qiliho’s counsel Devanesh Sharma and Gul Fatima will submit their written closing submission by tomorrow.

Following the death of Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Ratu David Toganivalu, State lawyer and Ratu David's co-counsel, Nimisha Shankar had requested time until Monday to file her closing submission however she said she will inform the court and the defence if more time is needed.

Meanwhile, Sharma told the court that he is ready with his submission but suggested that time be given until tomorrow.

He says in light of the tragic incident, he will not be making any oral submissions.

Magistrate Puamau noted that no one more senior representing the State was in court yesterday.

She told Shankar that she has to rise to the occasion, honour her word and file the submission by tomorrow.

The Magistrate says that Shankar’s inexperience was showing as she had said that the defence and the court will be informed if more time is needed to file the State’s closing submission.

A minute of silence was also observed for the late Ratu David in court.

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.

Bainimarama and Qiliho are represented by R Patel Lawyers Devanesh Sharma and Gul Fatima while Acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Ratu David Toganivalu was representing the State.