Fiji - May 2024

Former Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama was sentenced to one year in prison on 9 May for ‘perversion of justice.’ Fiji’s High Court overturned his final appeal and agreed with a lower court ruling that found Bainimarama told his police commissioner to ignore the allegations from university administrators that graft and mismanagement were commonplace at the University of South Pacific. The former police commissioner, Sitiveni Qiliho, was also sentenced to two years in prison. The sentence marks what could be the last stage of the current Fijian administration’s efforts to sideline Bainimarama, who originally took power in a military coup in 2006, and prevent him from maintaining extra-parliamentary influence since he left office after losing the 2022 general election.

Sources: Reuters, Australian Broadcasting Company