Acting Deputy Commissioner of FICAC, Francis Puleiwai says Electoral Commission Chairperson, Barbara Malimali is still under investigation by FICAC although she is coming in as the FICAC Commissioner.
Speaking to fijivillage News, Puleiwai also confirms that they are proceeding with the investigation relating to some of the Ministers.
She stresses there has been no undue pressure applied on her to desist from charging a number of Ministers.
Puleiwai says she has not been asked to desist, as of today, and she was just informed this afternoon that Malimali was appointed by the President.
She says the complaints with FICAC against some of the Ministers are still ongoing.
The FICAC Commissioner’s vacancy was advertised earlier this year and Puleiwai confirms that she had applied for the position.
Fiji Labour Party Leader, Mahendra Chaudhry has strongly denounced what he calls the ‘underhanded manner’ in which the appointment of Barbara Malimali as Commissioner FICAC is being processed while she is under active investigation by FICAC for alleged abuse of office as the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission.
In a statement, Chaudhry claims they are aware of alleged undue pressure applied on the Acting Assistant Commissioner of FICAC, Francis Puleiwai to desist from charging a number of Ministers.
However the Acting Deputy Commissioner, Francis Puleiwai has rejected this claim, saying no one has asked her to stop the investigations.
The FLP Leader says they will fight this alleged abuse of authority and power to protect some, and call on the Prime Minister to intervene and let FICAC complete its work on these reported cases.
Chaudhry says he had sent an email to the Prime Minister in whose absence this underhand move was being made.
Meanwhile Electoral Commission Chairperson, Barbara Malimali has been appointed the Commissioner of FICAC.
FICAC confirms the appointment was done through the Judicial Services Commission and signed off by the President, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere.
FICAC has confirmed it is conducting an investigation against Malimali for alleged abuse of office.
FICAC confirms they had conducted a search yesterday at the Electoral Commission.
They reiterated that it was not a "raid", however, it was a formal process of FICAC investigation, where their investigators uplift documentation required via the authority of a search warrant.
We have sent questions to Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and Chair of the Judicial Services Commission Acting Chief Justice Salesi Temo.
We are also trying to get Malimali’s comments.
Click here more Malimali investigated by FICAC Stories and Updates here
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