The Fiji Revenue and Customs Authority have terminated two of its senior managers over misconduct with the case referred to FICAC for criminal investigations.

Terminated are Tevita Tupou, the former FRCA General Manager Customs and the former Manager for Border Control, Josefa Marawa.

FRCA CEO – Jitoko Tikolevu in a statement explained that Tupou was terminated for breaching the standards of conduct by failing to cooperate and interfering with an internal investigation.

Tupou ordered subordinates to not cooperate with FRCA’s internal investigations pertaining to allegations of corruption.

In an email to FRCA staff, Tupou ordered them not to cooperate with investigators, and threatened them with punishment if they disobeyed.

In Tupou’s email to FRCA officers, disclosed on Sunday by Attorney General and Minister for Finance Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Tupou told FRCA staff:
“…no customs staff is to allow any ESU (Ethical Standards Unit) staff into the customs area or disclose any information to them…” “…any staff in breach of these instructions will be dealt with accordingly.”

Tikolevu says the threats made by Tupou should be disregarded and all FRCA staff must render their complete cooperation to investigators.

FRCA Board Chairman Ajith Kodagoda says, in coordination with FICAC, they are pursuing leads to identify businesses that may have profited illegally from any corrupt scheme.

Adding that they are cleaning up FRCA to get rid of corruption and ensure that all officers adhere to strict ethical standards.