Senior Barrister, Janet Mason (left), Barbara Malimali

As controversy grips the Commission of Inquiry against Barbara Malimali, senior barrister, Janet Mason is standing her ground.

This comes after Chief Registrar Tomasi Bainivalu sent Mason a letter last week, requesting her to clarify why her application did not disclose a pending disciplinary matter in New Zealand.

Mason, a senior barrister with dual New Zealand and Fijian citizenship, is assisting the Commissioner of Inquiry, Justice David Ashton-Lewis.

However, Mason confirms that she holds valid practicing certificates for both New Zealand and Fiji, adding that she does not need a Fiji practicing certificate to serve as a member of the Commission of Inquiry.

Senior barrister, Janet Mason

She has also filed a police complaint, claiming someone at the Legal Practitioners Unit tampered with her application for a practicing certificate in Fiji.

Mason confirmed that she has reported the matter to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) after discovering discrepancies in her application for a practicing certificate.

She claims that someone had falsified her application, prompting her to file a full statement with the police as she was concerned about being set up.

Mason says she made full disclosures of her case before New Zealand Law Society when applying to be a member of the Commission of Inquiry against Barbara Malimali

“I’ve been admitted to the Fiji Bar and under the Commission of Inquiry Act, I don’t need to have a Fiji practicing certificate. This is not a court, it’s a Commission of Inquiry.”

Senior barrister, Janet Mason

Mason says that the Fiji Law Society attempted to have her removed from the Commission, citing integrity concerns.

“I don’t know if it was deliberate or not, but to protect myself against what I see as an attempt to remove me; as it happened today, this time by the Law Society; to shut the commission down. It’s appalling, but we will continue. These tactics will not work.”

The COI is assessing to determine whether the appointment process of Barbara Malimali as Commissioner of Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption was conducted with integrity, fairness, and transparency, in accordance with the law.

The COI yesterday heard testimony from Fiji Law Society President Wylie Clark and FICAC representatives, with more witnesses, including Electoral Commissioner Reginald Jokhan, scheduled for today.

Mason adds the hearings should conclude next week with closed sessions, followed by the final report.

“Well, we hope to have this week of hearings, and then next week, because it’s taking so much time, we are going to have closed hearings, so there will just be myself and the commissioner and the witnesses, and they’re going to be very quick.”

Today marks the 13th day of the inquiry.

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