Advertisement

Former Fiji PM Bainimarama sentenced to year in jail

Ex-PM Frank Bainimarama has reportedly been sentenced to jail for perverting the course of justice.

Ex-PM Frank Bainimarama has reportedly been sentenced to jail for perverting the course of justice.

Fiji’s former long-serving prime minister Frank Bainimarama has been sentenced to a year in prison for perverting the course of justice, the country’s director of public prosecutions says.

Bainimarama was initially spared jail in the case during sentencing in April, before being overturned on appeal.

A former military chief, Bainimarama came to power in a 2006 coup and later won democratic elections in 2014 and 2018.

He was found guilty this month by the High Court of attempting to pervert the course of justice while he was prime minister by telling then police commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho not to investigate allegations of graft at the region’s University of South Pacific, court documents show.

Qiliho was sentenced to two years in jail at the same hearing for abuse of office, the Fiji’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions said in a statement.

Bainimarama narrowly lost power in December 2022 to a coalition of parties led by current prime minister, Sitiveni Rabuka.

Topics: Fiji
Advertisement
Stay informed, daily
A FREE subscription to The New Daily arrives every morning and evening.
The New Daily is a trusted source of national news and information and is provided free for all Australians. Read our editorial charter.
Copyright © 2024 The New Daily.
All rights reserved.