Frank Bainimarama and Sitiveni Qiliho Photo: AFP / Leon Lord
Former Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama and suspended Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho have been charged in relation to the firing of two police officers in 2021.
The pair spent the Tuesday night in custody and are due to appear in the Suva Magistrates Court today.
Bainimarama has been charged with one count of unwarranted demands made by a public official.
He is alleged, between 21 May 2021 to 18 August 2021, whilst being employed as a public official, to have made an unwarranted demand with menaces of a former senior police officer to allegedly terminate the employment of other police officers.
It is alleged that he used his official capacity as Prime Minister of Fiji and was done with the intention of influencing the former senior official.
While Qiliho has been charged with one count of abuse of office.
He is alleged, between 5 and 18 2021, being employed in the civil service as the commissioner of police, to have reviewed the disciplinary decision made by the senior officer, and terminated the employment of a police officer, in abuse of the authority of his office, an arbitrary act prejudicial to the rights of the officer.
Qiliho faces an additional charge of abuse of office as it is alleged that during the same period, he also reviewed the disciplinary decision of another officer and terminated his employment, which was an arbitrary act prejudicial to the rights of the officer.
In a statement, Assistant Commissioner of Police Mesake Waqa said both Bainimarama and Qiliho would be kept in custody at the Totogo Police Station on Tuesday night, and will be produced at the Suva Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Last week, Bainimarama, former Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and a former Health Minister Dr Neil Sharma were released on bail after spending a night in a police cell.
The three are facing abuse of office-related charges in relation to a tender process in 2011.
Acting Chief Magistrate Waleen George granted them strict bail conditions including FJ10,000 in non-cash bond (US$5,000), surrendering travel documents and reporting to the police station once every fortnight.
That matter has been adjourned to 19 March.
