Former Fiji’s Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho’s trial began in court in Suva this morning.
Bainimarama is charged with one count of attempt to pervert the course of justice whileQiliho is charged with one count of abuse of office.
It is alleged that in July 2020, Bainimarama in his capacity as the then PM directed the then Police Commissioner Qiliho to stop the investigation into a police complaint – an arbitrary act prejudicial to the rights of the University of the South Pacific (USP) – the complainant.
It is alleged that on 15 July, Qiliho as the then Police Commissioner instructed Criminal Investigations Department director Serupepeli Neiko and Inspector Reshmi Dass to stop investigations into the police complaint by the USP – an act deemed abuse of the authority of his office – which was arbitrary and prejudicial to the rights of USP.
SOURCE: FIJI TIMES/PACNEWS
