“I have not been directed by anyone to speed up or take any cases.”
Acting Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) David Toganivalu said this while responding to claims by former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and former attorney-general Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum that their current prosecution was a witch hunt.
Mr Toganivalu said the Office of the DPP did not “pick and choose cases” that came to the office.
“We just receive matters that are referred to us from Fiji Police Force, especially from the Director of Criminal Investigation Department (CID),” he said.
He said police carried out their investigations independently and the DPP’s office only dealt with the prosecutions aspect of the case, unlike the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), which had its own investigative team in-house.
Mr Toganivalu added that the office also handled corruption related cases, but those usually went through the normal court process.
He stressed that he had not been directed nor instructed by anyone to speed up any cases.
“I have not been directed by anyone to speed or take any cases. I just walk in the door and take up the cases that are put on my table.”
The Acting DPP said his appearance in court during the hearing for the former prime minister and attorney-general was out of respect.
“They are the former leaders of the previous government, they had high-level representation and we also need to show them some respect and appear for the office on their matter.”
