Commissioner of Inquiry Justice David Ashton-Lewis is confident that the COI report will be made public.
Speaking to the media after formally submitting the 400-page report to President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu and Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, Justice Ashton-Lewis requested the patience of both the public and the press.
“I know there’s been a lot of questions about, will the report be made public?” he said.
“In my opinion, and I stress it’s my opinion, I believe it will be made public, but that’s my belief.”
Justice Ashton-Lewis asked for understanding as the President and Prime Minister take time to consider the report’s findings.
“Please, don’t associate the time they need with a decision to withhold the report.
“They need a week to read it, think through it, and ask questions. That’s reasonable.”
He also addressed public concerns about the time taken to complete the inquiry, noting that although the initial plan was to wrap up within two weeks, the process expanded to nine weeks due to the volume and complexity of witness testimonies.
“Many of those witnesses opened doors to other matters that related to our terms of reference.
“We had to investigate, and that takes time.”
He encouraged continued patience, reminding the public that the inquiry was investigative in nature and required thorough examination to ensure meaningful and legally sound recommendations.
After nine weeks and 35 witnesses, the inquiry has finally come to a close.
