Bainimarama and Qiliho are charged in relation to the termination of a Police investigation relating to the University of the South Pacific.
From left: Former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho at the Suva Magistrates Court on September 7, 2023. Photo: Ronald Kumar
Suva Magistrate Seini Puamau has ruled that former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended Police Commissioner, Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho, have a case to answer.
While delivering her ruling, Magistrate Puamau said there was relevant and admissible evidence regarding the elements.
Magistrate Puamau reminded Bainimarama and Qiliho of the rights available to them.
The case has been adjourned to September 28 for continuation of the trial.
Bainimarama and Qiliho are charged in relation to the termination of a Police investigation relating to the University of the South Pacific.
The Charges:
Bainimarama is charged with attempted to pervert the course of justice. It is alleged that sometime in the sometime between July 2020 and September 2020 at Suva, Bainimarama attempted to pervert the course of justice by telling the suspended Commissioner of Police, Sitiveni Qiliho to stay away from the USP investigations that was reported on July 12, 2019.
Qiliho is charged with abuse of office. It is alleged that Qiliho on July 15, 2020, at Suva, being employed in the public service as the Commissioner of Police of Fiji, directed the criminal investigations department director Serupepli Neiko and Inspector Reshmi Dass to stop investigations into the Police complaint involving CID/HQ PEP 12/07/2019, in the abuse of the authority of his office, which was an arbitrary act prejudicial to the rights of the University of the South Pacific.
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