Former attorney-general Graham Leung has condemned the Barbara Malimali Commission of Inquiry’s findings against him, calling it “a travesty of justice” and a “triumph of idle social media prattle”.
Mr Leung told a media conference in Suva yesterday: “I take strong exception to, and completely reject, the findings of the Commission of Inquiry as they relate to my conduct during the appointment process of the FICAC Commissioner.”
He described the leaked report as “a dangerous assault on due process” and said its spread online “poisoned” public trust in Fiji’s legal institutions.
“It has been more than two months since the report was published. I still have not received an official copy of the report detailing the official findings against me,” he said.
Mr Leung likened the inquiry to tactics used during the Bainimarama era: “During those years, the law was used as a weapon to intimidate, to threaten and to silence.”
He added that the COI had “debased our best instincts through social media gossip” and undermined the presumption of innocence.
“This is not the standard of justice or the rule of law that I spent my professional career defending,” he said.
Meanwhile, a redacted version of the COI report released by the Prime Minister late yesterday revealed the inquiry found Mr Leung “unfit to hold public office” over his role in Ms Malimali’s appointment.
According to the report, Mr Leung “not only had a conflict of interest, but he failed to disclose the conflict and engaged in conduct to influence the appointment of Ms Malimali”.
The inquiry concluded Mr Leung “was in a position of authority and used that authority to influence the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) and others to secure the appointment of Ms Malimali”.
It also states “Mr Leung failed to declare that he had previously worked with Ms Malimali in the Attorney-General’s Chambers and had maintained contact with her”.
The commission recommended that “Mr Leung be referred to the Fiji Law Society for disciplinary action under the Legal Practitioners Act 2009”.
