Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka will meet the Chair of the Commission of Inquiry (COI), Retired Justice David Aston-Lewis, and Counsel Assisting the Inquiry Janet Mason, at the State House tomorrow.
The meeting, which will also involve His Excellency the President, comes after the expected submission of the COI’s report today.
The inquiry was established to assess whether Barbara Malimali’s appointment as Commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) on 5 September 2024 was conducted lawfully and without improper influence. It also examines whether any ongoing FICAC investigations involving senior officials or politicians have affected the appointment process.
Speaking to the media, Rabuka said he had not yet been briefed on the contents of the report.
The Commission’s report had originally been due in January, but was delayed as hearings extended longer than expected. In early April, Ms Mason, the senior counsel assisting the inquiry, indicated the report would be completed by 11 April. After further delays, Mason told FijiLive last week that the report would be submitted by today.
The Terms of Reference for the inquiry include determining whether the appointment process was unlawfully or improperly influenced, and whether it upheld standards of fairness, transparency, and integrity.
Photo: File
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