The President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu has this afternoon suspended FICAC Commissioner Barbara Malimali and revoked the appointment of Acting Deputy Commissioner Lisiate Fotofili.
Lavi Rokoika has been appointed Acting FICAC Commissioner.
Ms Malimali confirmed receiving the suspension letter after being asked by Mai TV and said she intends to challenge the suspension which she deemed unconstitutional and done without the knowledge of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC).
Sources tell Mai TV the President wrote to Malimali saying she was suspended based on the advice of the Prime Minister, pending investigations by the Fiji Police Force into allegations raised in the Commission of Inquiry.
The letter was hand delivered at FICAC by officials of the President’s Office this afternoon.
Malimali told Mai TV she was of the view the Judicial Services Commission was the relevant body that should decide or recommend her suspension.
However she says she chose to abide by the directive as there has been too much instability already and she didnt want to add to the problems.
She told Mai TV she will challenge the suspension as unconstitutional citing the Sharvada Sharma case as precedent.
The findings of the Commission of Inquiry haven’t been publicly released but is understood to implicate senior legal and political figures.
Sources say more actions are expected.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has stated the report will not be released yet but the government would act on or refer some of its recommendations for investigation.
