Acting Commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), Lavi Rokoika, has called for the reinstatement of the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court to help clear a growing backlog of corruption cases.
Speaking before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, Ms Rokoika said the division’s previous disbandment had slowed down the pace of hearings, with many cases now delayed until next year due to limited court time.
“If it were up to me, I’d really love that,” she said in response to a question about whether reinstating the division would help address pending cases.”
“It will help with the rolling of cases because right now we’re fighting for trial time.”
Ms Rokoika told the committee that since mid-2025, FICAC has struggled to secure hearing dates due to the judiciary’s full schedule.
“From June or July this year, we couldn’t book a hearing date. The diary of the bench is full — all our cases are listed for next year,” she said.
She urged Parliament to consider re-establishing the specialised division, noting it would greatly improve the speed and efficiency of corruption trials.
“The Anti-Corruption Division would really hasten the process and help ensure that justice is delivered in a timely manner,” Ms Rokoika said.
The Anti-Corruption Division was disbanded in September 2023 after the passing of the High Court (Amendment) Bill 2023.
