'No need to panic': Fijians reassured after high-profile arrests

Wednesday, 15 March 2023

Charged: Former Fiji prime minister Frank Bainimarama and suspended police commissioner Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho.

Fijians have been assured there is no need to panic after former prime minister Frank Bainimarama and suspended police commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho appeared in a Suva court last week charged with abuse of office.

The pair, who spent a night in a police cell, have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Fiji’s Director of Public Prosecutions said both men “are alleged to have arbitrarily and in abuse of the authority of their respective offices, terminated an active police investigation”.

Bainimarama and Qiliho are alleged to have interfered in the investigation into a financial mismanagement case involving former staff of the University of the South Pacific four years ago.

New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni standup after bilateral talks with Fiji PM Sitiveni Rabuka.

* Former Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama spends night in police cell

* Former Fiji elections chief stopped from leaving the country

* Fiji suspends police, prison chiefs and ends Chinese security work contracts

Police said “the latest developments have not warranted the need to panic as the security landscape remains calm and manageable”.

Fiji’s government is calling for calm and assured the people there was no reason to be concerned about public safety.

In a statement, Fiji’s Home Affairs Minister Pio Tikoduadua said no one should be “apprehensive” about the security of the country.

He said police have “everything under control, and we urge everyone to go about their business as usual”.

Charges against Bainimarama and Qiliho are in relation to allegations of terminating the 2019 police investigation into activities of former staff members at the regional academic institution.

Fiji’s Home Affairs Minister Pio Tikoduadua is calling for calm and has assured the people there is no reason to be concerned about public safety.

They were charged at the Criminal Investigations Department, kept overnight at Totogo Police Station and appeared in the Suva Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

Bainimarama said he would fight the charge, “Not only for my reputation, for democracy, for all Fijians, and of course for the Constitution.”

Acting police commissioner Sakeo Raikaci has defended the independence of the investigations saying “there is no interference into the handling of these cases by other senior officers.

“The investigation team reports directly to me as their line assistant commissioner of police, chief of intelligence, investigations and prosecutions.

“Investigators are given full autonomy to conduct the necessary work of the gathering of statements and evidence and the questioning of persons of interest,” Raikaci told a media conference.

Bainimarama and Qiliho have been granted bail at NZ$27,000, ordered not to leave the country and to reside at a permanent address.

Magistrate Seini Puamau also ordered both men not to interfere with witnesses. They are expected back in court on May 11.

Days before his arrest, Bainimarama resigned as opposition leader after he was suspended from Parliament for three years over his criticism of the country’s president and the military.

At the next Parliament sitting at the end of this month, former defence minister Inia Seruiratu is expected to take over as opposition leader as “number three in the pecking order of the FijiFirst Party hierarchy”.

Confirming Seruiratu’s nomination, Bainimarama told journalists he will remain leader of FijiFirst.

Bainimarama, Fiji’s longest-serving prime minister, came into power in 2006 after overthrowing the coalition government of the late prime minister Laisenia Qarase in a military coup.

FijiFirst’s 16-year reign was heavily criticised for its “two-man dictatorship-style”.

In December’s general elections, Fijians voted out Bainimarama and FijiFirst, with former prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s coalition government – of the People’s Alliance, National Federation and Social Democratic Liberal parties – winning the closely contested polls.

Less than a week after being sworn into office, Rabuka announced the “government’s first 100 days plan” which included policy changes to the economy, rule of law and human rights.

He promised to be inclusive and adopt a consultative approach to key decisions that affect the people of Fiji.

Rabuka said they would remove laws and decrees that undermined human rights, media freedom, freedom of association, individual and group rights of Fijians.