Saneem’s resignation should not be accepted until all allegations against him are cleared – Chaudhry

Fiji Labour Party Leader Mahendra Chaudhry says former Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem should not be allowed to get away by simply resigning.

In a statement, Chaudhry says the resignation raises a lot of questions.

The former Prime Minister says Saneem’s resignation should not be accepted until all allegations against him are cleared, adding Saneem should be put through the due process of the law and held answerable to all allegations made against him.

Chaudhry has also questioned if Saneem’s resignation is an admission of guilt.

He says this man had presided over three highly controversial general elections amidst widespread allegations.

Chaudhry says when opposition political parties wrote to the Constitutional Offices Commission expressing no confidence in him as Supervisor calling for an independent investigation, the Commission ignored the complaints.

He adds on 14th February 2022, Labour and Unity Fiji decided to file action in the High Court seeking, among other things, an order directing the COC to appoint a Tribunal to investigate allegations of misbehaviour against Saneem.

Chaudhry says the matter was heard before Chief Justice Kamal Kumar on 14th July 2022.

He says the Chief Justice delivered a ruling on 18th October, dismissing the action and ordering court costs of $6000 against Labour and Unity Fiji.

Chaudhry says he referred the case to Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka following his election, and asked that Saneem be suspended and a Tribunal set up to investigate all allegations of misbehaviour.