State unable to extract information from Bainimarama’s old phone

State Counsel Laisani Tabuakuro informed the Suva High Court in the trial of former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and former Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho that Australian Federal Police technicians were unable to extract information from Bainimarama’s old iPhone.

Tabuakuro says that since the phone was reset, all data had been deleted.

The intention of the extraction was to recover Viber messages between Bainimarama and the then Acting Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu.

She says that the extraction process has been completed, and the defence will need time to go through the extraction report.

The trial will resume tomorrow.

Closing submissions will be made this Thursday before Suva High Court Judge Justice Thushara Rajasinghe.

An officer from the Cyber Crime Unit and the Investigating Officer are yet to give their evidence.

Bainimarama is charged with one count of unwarranted demand made by a public official, while former Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho is charged with two counts of abuse of office.

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.