Qiliho directed us to stop the investigation into USP - State witness

Former CID Director Serupepeli Neiko, the final State witness in the trial of former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho, has today revealed in court that Qiliho directed them to stop the investigation into USP.

While responding to questions from Acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Ratu David Toganivalu, Neiko says on 15th July 2020, he received a call from the Commissioner of Police Sitiveni Qiliho, asking him why is he still investigating the USP case and he wanted to talk to the investigating officer.

Neiko says he called Reshmi Dass, who was the investigating officer, to his office, and he called Qiliho and put the phone on speaker to allow Dass and himself to hear the instruction from the Commissioner.

He says Qiliho had asked about why a staff of USP, Ravinesh Shankar, was brought to CID for questioning where Dass replied that Shankar was brought in for his statement.

Neiko says the Commissioner had directed that we close the investigation file since FICAC had revealed that it was an administrative issue at USP and that was from the former Prime Minister.

When questioned if they had continued the investigation after receiving the directive from Qiliho, Neiko says they did not pursue to investigate the matter forward.

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 and Nimisha Shankar are representing the State.

The trial will continue on Wednesday.