Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has defended the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the appointment of former FICAC Commissioner Barbara Malimali, saying its most significant outcome was the exoneration of those who had come under public scrutiny.
Rejecting suggestions the inquiry had achieved little, Mr Rabuka said the inquiry had served an important purpose by clearing the names of those investigated.
“So it’s not that nothing came out of it,” he said.
“What has come out of it is that those people have been exonerated.”
This comes after Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu confirmed that police had closed all investigations into the 12 complaint files arising from the CoI report after the ODPP found there was insufficient evidence to lay criminal charges.
Mr Rabuka also confirmed the inquiry cost the Government “millions” of dollars, although the final figure would remain confidential until tabled in Parliament.
He said Cabinet had approved the CoI budget before the inquiry commenced and that expenditure would be scrutinised through the parliamentary process.
Reports show Commissioner Justice David Ashton-Lewis was paid $AUD2000 ($F3112) a day, while counsel assisting Janet Mason received $NZD350 ($F456) an hour. During the inquiry’s extension between April 12 and May 16, 2025, Justice Ashton-Lewis was paid $AUD70,000 ($F109,000) and Ms Mason $NZD61,250, ($F79,000) excluding travel, accommodation and subsistence allowances.
