Litia Cava 
The corruption probe into ex-Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has been closed by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption.
The case was about whether Bainimarama broke the law by staying on as FijiFirst Party Leader after being convicted on May 9 2024.
The complaint was sent to FICAC by the Supervisor of Elections, Ana Mataiciwa, on May 30.
It questioned whether Bainimarama should have stepped down and whether the sacking of 16 FijiFirst MPs should be overturned.
FICAC found no law in the Political Parties Act that stops a convicted person from staying in a party position they already hold.
The law only blocks someone from applying for a new party role if they’ve been convicted and jailed in the five years before applying. Bainimarama did not apply for a new position after his conviction.
At the time of the complaint, Bainimarama was still a registered voter. His name was only removed from the voter roll on June 14, 2024, as required for people serving prison terms of 12 months or more.
This means his eligibility to hold political office only ended from that date.
The complaint also raised concerns about the use of Bainimarama’s name in a directive issued to FijiFirst MPs.
Some MPs said the party’s Acting General Secretary, Faiyaz Koya, used Bainimarama’s name without permission to try and influence a vote.
FICAC said it does not handle issues related to internal party rules. That is a matter for the party and the Fijian Elections Office.
The Commission said the case was now closed.
It also suggested that the law be changed so that convicted individuals are removed from the voter list on the day they are sentenced, not later.
FICAC states it is committed to doing its work fairly and without political pressure.
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