Nikhil Aiyush Kumar 
[File Photo]
Defense lawyers in the trial of former Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama and former Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho said they do not expect to file a no-case-to-answer application.
Bainimarama and Qiliho are scheduled to give evidence as defense witnesses tomorrow.
So far, a number of prosecution witnesses have completed testimony in the Suva High Court.
Investigating Officer Tomasi Cabecuva and Digital Forensic Officer Savenaca Joape were the final witnesses today.
Cabecuva told the court that no effort was made to recover Viber messages from Bainimarama’s phone when the initial complaint was lodged in February 2023.
The messages were not retrieved before the phone was factory reset in March 2023.
Joape said he was given 48 hours to extract the messages but could not do so due to the reset.
Assistance was later sought from the Australian Federal Police, who used Cellbrite software because the Cyber Crime Unit’s license had expired. The extraction was completed last week.
Bainimarama faces one count of making unwarranted demands as a public official. Qiliho faces two counts of abuse of office.
Prosecutors allege Bainimarama pressured then-Acting Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu to dismiss two officers, while Qiliho allegedly overrode Tudravu’s disciplinary decisions and unlawfully terminated the officers.
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