Former Fiji PM and suspended commissioner plead not guilty

Former Fiji Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho have both pleaded not guilty in court and have been released on bail today.

The pair have been charged with abuse of office. It’s alleged the pair terminated a police investigation into misuse of money at the University of the South Pacific in 2019.

University of the South Pacific vice-chancellor Pal Ahluwalia, who discovered the alleged financial anomalies, was deported and only just welcomed back to Fiji last month with a formal apology.

Police told the court today that there are 30 witness statements, including 13 from officers. It was also revealed in court that the police have nine pending investigations against Voreqe Bainimarama and Sitiveni Qiliho.

The two are back in court on May 11.

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