The Director of Public Prosecutions, Christopher Pryde, has sanctioned charges of abuse of office against the former prime minister, Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, and the suspended police commissioner, Sitiveni Tukaituraga Qiliho, following a review of the police evidence docket.

The charges relate to a complaint laid with the police by the University of the South Pacific in July 2019 in relation to the activities of former staff members of the university.

Mr Pryde said, “The former prime minister, Voreqe Bainimarama, and the suspended police commissioner, Sitiveni Qiliho, are alleged to have arbitrarily and in abuse of the authority of their respective offices, terminated an active police investigation.”

The police have also been requested to undertake further investigations into other matters arising from this case and more charges may be laid against other suspects in due course.”

Source: Director Of Public Prosecutions