Fiji Labour Party (FLP) leader Mahendra Chaudhry says it is now for Attorney-General Siromi Turaga to explain why former Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) commissioner Rashmi Aslam is being let off the hook for failure to discharge his duties according to law.
He said this in a statement on Mr Aslam’s resignation.
Mr Chaudhry claimed that through his tenure under the FijiFirst government, Mr Aslam was not acting independently on high profile cases, but took instruction from his minister, former attorney-general Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.
He said he called for Mr Aslam’s dismissal last year when he did not prosecute the former chairperson of the Electoral Commission Suresh Chandra and the former Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem for the payment to Mr Chandra of fraudulent sitting allowance claims totaling several thousand over a long period.
“The case was referred to him by the leaders of the Fiji Labour Party, Unity Fiji party and Freedom Alliance Party,” he said.
“Mr Aslam then refused to act citing lack of evidence as his reason. The same case was officially referred to him for investigation early this year, by the Acting Supervisor of Elections Ana Mataiciwa.”
Mr Chaudhry said it was now for Mr Turaga to clear the air on Mr Aslam being allowed to leave the commissioner’s position without being held accountable for failing to discharge his lawful duties, and why the case was not finalised despite the complaint being lodged months ago.
“As things stand, one may well ask if the Coalition is no different from the FijiFirst on matters of accountability and transparency in governance?”
Questions have been sent to the Attorney-General Siromi Turaga and to FICAC regarding Mr Aslam’s resignation. Government announced Mr Aslam’s resignation on Tuesday.
