Former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama

Former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama will be handcuffed during all court appearances.

In a statement published on Fiji Corrections Services Facebook page, Commissioner Dr. Jalesi Nakarawa says this measure is intended to ensure compliance with security protocols and to maintain the decorum and integrity of the judicial process.

The decision follows the completion of the investigation into the incident involving former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama’s signing of documents while attending court on matters unrelated to his detention.

The investigation has confirmed that Bainimarama signed documents for the FijiFirst Party Parliamentarians during a court session, which constitutes a breach of established protocols.

The incident, which occurred during Bainimarama’s court appearance, was thoroughly examined to determine the sequence of events and assess the responsibility of the involved personnel.

Dr Jalesi Nakarawa says the findings indicate a failure to adhere to the procedural guidelines set forth for the handling of detainees during judicial proceedings.

Therefore he says as a consequence of the findings, disciplinary actions will be initiated against the officers responsible for escorting Bainimarama during his court appearance.

Dr Nakarawa says their failure to enforce the required protocols compromised the integrity of our operations and allowed the breach to occur.

He adds to prevent any future occurrences, strict measures have been mandated.

The Commissioner says the breach that occurred during Mr. Bainimarama’s court session is unacceptable,and they are taking decisive action to address the lapse.

He adds that they will take appropriate disciplinary steps to rectify this and prevent future breaches.

He says that the decision to handcuff Bainimarama during court appearances is a necessary step to ensure compliance and to uphold the integrity of the operations.