Former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended Commissioner of Police Sitiveni Qiliho

Former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended Commissioner of Police Sitiveni Qiliho have been found guilty by the Suva High Court.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution had appealed the matter following the acquittal of the two by the Suva Magistrates Court.

Bainimarama was charged with one count of attempting to pervert the course of justice, while Qiliho was charged with one count of abuse of office.

Bainimarama had directed the suspended Police Commissioner to stop an investigation into a police complaint on a University of the South Pacific matter sometime in July, 2020.

Magistrate Seini Puamau acquitted them in October last year.

This morning, the two were found guilty, and the matter has been remitted back to the Magistrates Court.

Acting Chief Justice Salesi Temo says he accepts all the evidence of the state witnesses as he finds them credible.

He says it was apparent that as in the first responders case that the problem emanated from the allege financial abuse and mismanagement by the senior members of USP.

Justice Temo says he upholds the state grounds of appeals one, two, six, seven, and eight; however, he deems grounds three, four, and five unnecessary and a waste of the court’s time.

The Acting Chief Justice ordered that the matter be called before Magistrate  Puamau on the 18th of this month, where she will have to pronounce Bainimarama and Qiliho guilty as charged and convict them accordingly.

Justice Temo directed the accused lawyers to file mitigation and sentencing submissions for both responders by Monday.

The state will have to do the same.

He adds that Magistrate Puamau will have to hear the sentencing submissions next Thursday.

Justice Temo adds that the Resident Magistrate will have to pass the sentences for Bainimarama and Qiliho on the 28th of this month.

More to follow.