Deputy Prime Minister says allegations lack factual basis and urges public to judge for themselves
Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica has dismissed the findings of the recently released Commission of Inquiry report, describing it as biased, unbalanced, and lacking in evidence.
The inquiry was established to examine the 2024 appointment of Barbara Malimali as FICAC Commissioner. Its report raised concerns about potential political interference and questioned the conduct of senior government officials, including Kamikamica.
Kamikamica voiced disappointment over what he described as “big gaps” and “hearsay” in the report, and said the Commissioner’s reference to him as a “wannabe Prime Minister” reflected clear bias.
“I have issues with that COI report,” Kamikamica said. “It’s full of allegations without any factual evidence. I’m quite bewildered about the whole process. Some facts presented don’t even acknowledge that I disagreed with the claims made against me. It’s a very one-sided interpretation.”
Despite the accusations, Kamikamica stated that he was willing to cooperate fully with authorities, including the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), which seized his phone last week. He believes this action is related to allegations made in the COI report.
“But having said that, the allegations have been made, and it’s now appearing that the FICAC is looking at some of the allegations. Certainly, from my perspective, I would like to have the opportunity to set the record straight. There’s a family behind me and my Vanua, and people that have sent me to Parliament, and they didn’t send me to come and be irresponsible.”
When asked if the allegations and inquiry were part of a wider effort to disqualify him from contesting the 2026 general elections, Kamikamica declined to speculate but left the decision to the public’s interpretation. He appealed directly to the people of Fiji to read the COI report in full and make their judgments about its contents.
“Leave it to the people of Fiji to work out their interpretation,” he said. “Just read the report and have a good look at it, and then, in light of what the facts are saying, what’s being said in that report, decide for yourself whether there’s enough in there.
“I say to the people of Fiji: read the report now that it’s public and make up your minds whether there is anything to worry about or if there are other things at play,” he said.
As far as I’m concerned, I was sent here to serve the people, and that’s going to be the focus.”
According to the Commission of Inquiry report, allegations against Kamikamica included that he offered to “help” former Fisheries Minister Kalaveti Ravu with his FICAC case. Ravu told the inquiry that Kamikamica said he would speak to Barbara Malimali—then newly appointed FICAC Commissioner—about the matter. Ravu interpreted this as an attempt “to get [his] case dismissed or closed.”
When questioned, Kamikamica said he had “zero recollection” of the exchange but acknowledged asking Ravu about the case “from more of an empathy type of perspective.”
The Commission concluded, “on the balance of probabilities,” that Ravu’s version was accurate. It found that it was “more likely than not that Kamikamica was persuading Ravu to let him close Ravu’s case through Malimali, thus attempting to pervert the course of justice.”
The report also cited a conflict of interest in Malimali’s appointment, due to her connection with Kamikamica’s wife. Malimali confirmed she knew Kamikamica through his wife, a former schoolmate. Kamikamica also acknowledged the link, describing Malimali as a friend “through [his] wife,” but denied any role in influencing her appointment.
The Commission nonetheless “identified this relationship as one of undue political influence that contributed to Malimali’s selection.”
The Deputy Prime Minister plans to make further detailed statements.
Former Attorney General Graham Leung, who was referenced in the report and later dismissed due to its findings, labelled it a “travesty of justice.” In a media interview last week, Leung argued that taking the conclusions of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) report seriously would be detrimental. He claimed that its conclusions were simply the result of idle social media prattle and lazy legal guesswork.
Related Articles:
FICAC seizes phone of Fiji Deputy PM Kamikamica
No statement yet from FICAC on Deputy PM phone seizure
