Acting Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) Commissioner Lavi Rokoika says the agency is not being directed or “weaponised” to target political figures, and stressed that decisions are made through internal checks and balances rather than by any one individual.
Rokoika made the remarks during a press conference, responding to public concerns and media commentary about the independence of the commission.
“There have been allegations that FICAC has been weaponised to target political leadership,” she said.
“The answer is no — we have not been weaponised. We do not take our instructions from anyone in government or in Parliament. That is why we have systems in place.”
Rokoika explained that every complaint goes through several layers of legal and investigative review to safeguard against bias.
“At the end of the day, the decision comes to the Office of the Commissioner, but there are many people within the organisation who deal with any one particular file,” she said.
“We have processes to ensure no one person makes the ultimate decision. There are many checks and balances within the commission to safeguard us from perceptions of bias.”
She also declined to comment on questions surrounding the legality of her appointment, citing ongoing court proceedings.
“In terms of my appointment, there are lawful processes in place to deal with questions about it,” Rokoika said.
“It is currently before the courts, therefore it would be inappropriate for me to comment.”
Rokoika added that FICAC would continue to rely on established procedures to carry out its mandate independently.
