The Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the appointment of former Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) commissioner Barbara Malimali has reportedly found that the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) allegedly treated former deputy commissioner Frances Puleiwai unfairly — allegedly coercing her into resigning under threat of unspecified charges.
A document alleged to be the unreleased and long-awaited CoI report is circulating on social media.
The authenticity of the document has not been independently verified, but it purports to state that Ms Puleiwai was summoned by the JSC on September 5, 2024, and “accused by the JSC” of three alleged offences in relation to Ms Malimali’s arrest on that same day.
The alleged report stated that the JSC, seemingly slighted by Ms Puleiwai’s decision to bypass them and directly inform the President of the need for more time to conclude the FICAC Malimali investigation, adopted a punitive approach toward her.
It claimed the JSC acted without fully considering the situation and formulated their approach at the September 5 meeting without any external input. The report further alleged that Ms Puleiwai was presented with only two predetermined options, without formal legal advice or analysis, and before she had the opportunity to present her side of the story.
According to the alleged findings, Ms Puleiwai was told by the JSC she could either resign and receive one month’s salary or respond to the allegations within seven days, after which the JSC would decide what recommendations to make to the President.
The report also claims the JSC had no legal power to prevent future charges being filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), FICAC, or police, even if she resigned because it “was not a charging body, nor did it have direct authority over the DPP or the police or FICAC.
