Truth will prevail - Bainimarama

Former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama is grateful to his relatives and friends for their prayers after he was found not guilty yesterday afternoon for the charge of allegedly attempting to stop investigations into USP in 2020.

A huge number of supporters turned up at the Suva Courthouse to witness the judgment yesterday afternoon.

Outside the courthouse, Bainimarama acknowledged the work done by their legal team, Devanesh Sharma and Gul Fatima, in this case.

He also acknowledged the magistrate for breaking the confusion that had been put in place by the CID team, who brought about some what he called trumped-up charges.

The former Prime Minister added that the truth will prevail. When questioned on his next move, Bainimarama jokingly told the journalists if they wanted to dance.

Meanwhile, when suspended Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho was questioned if he would return to work after being found not guilty, he said that it would be up to the Constitutional Offices Commission.

He says right now, he just wants to thank the Lord Jesus Christ.

Bainimarama and Qiliho are free men today as they have been found not guilty for the charge of allegedly attempting to stop the investigations into USP in 2020.

Bainimarama was charged with a count of attempt to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho was charged with a count of abuse of office.

According to their charge sheet, it was 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 was 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 an arbitrary act of prejudicial to the rights to USP.

Bainimarama and Qiliho were represented by R Patel Lawyers Devanesh Sharma and Gul Fatima while Acting Director of Public Prosecutions, the late Ratu David Toganivalu was representing the State with co-counsel Nimisha Shankar however, Assistant DPP Lee Burney stood as senior counsel.