Qiliho stands ground that Bainimarama had no control over him and the Police Force

The closing submissions for the case where the former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and former Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho allegedly made unwarranted demands to the then Acting Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu to sack two police officers in 2021, will be held next Monday.

State Counsel Laisani Tabuakuro said to Qiliho during the cross examination that his comments that Bainimarama had no control over him is untrue because Bainimarama was his employer and the Chairman of the Constitution Offices Commission.

However Qiliho stood his ground and disagreed with the State.

He says the Constitution Offices Commission is the appointing authority, and once he gets that appointment, he will be independent.

When asked by Tabuakuro if he had known that Jonacani Bainimarama was dealing with drugs, Qiliho says he was informed by Serupepeli Neiko, the Director of Narcotics, that Jonacani was an informant.

While being re-examined by defence lawyer Devanesh Sharma, Qiliho stressed that the only time he had seen the appointment document of Tudravu as Acting Police Commissioner was in court.

He says he had written a letter to Tudravu that he is appointing him to the Acting Commissioner position on the 30th of July 2020, but he did not see the letter from the President until the trial.

Qiliho is charged with two counts of abuse of office for sacking two police officers in 2021, while Bainimarama is charged with one count of unwarranted demand made by a public official.

It is alleged that Bainimarama and Qiliho made unwarranted demands to then Acting Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu, directing him to terminate the employment of certain police officers from the Fiji Police Force.

It is alleged that Bainimarama, between the 21st of May 2021 to the 18th of August 2021 in Suva, as the Prime Minister of Fiji made an unwarranted demand with menance to the then Acting Commissioner of Police, Rusiate Tudravu, by threatening his employment to influence the Acting COMPOL to comply with his unwarranted demand for the termination of the employment of Sergeant Penieli Ratei and Police Constable Tomasi Naulu who came under the supervision and authority of the Commissioner of Police.

It is alleged that between the 5th to the 18th of August 2021 in Suva whilst being employed as the Commissioner of Police, Qiliho directed the termination of employment of Sergeant Penieli Ratei and Police Constable Tomasi Naulu without due process which was an abuse of office of his authority as the Commissioner of Police and the termination was prejudicial to the rights Ratei and Naulu.