Former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and former Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho

A tribunal officer at the Fiji Police Force typically makes recommendations to the Police Commissioner regarding the punishments from a disciplinary tribunal.

This was stated by Jovilisi Leweniqila, the Deputy Director of Human Resources at the Police Force, when he took the stand this morning in the trial of former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and former Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho.

Leweniqila was the second witness called by the state.

The prosecution questioned him about the corporate structure of the Police Force and the chain of command for communications.

Leweniqila informed the court that a formal correspondence form is used within the force to communicate or execute orders from the upper hierarchy.

He also stated that the Human Resources department only finalizes directives given by the Commissioner of Police regarding the termination of officers.

When asked who gave the directive to terminate police officers, Sergeant Penieli Ratei and Constable Tomasi Naulu, he said the orders came from Sitiveni Qiliho.

He also stated that Qiliho did not explain why the termination was treated with urgency, as officers are usually given 14 days to respond to a disciplinary decision, but these officers were only given three.

Fiji Police Force Manager of Records and Registry, Devika Narayan, also took the stand.

In this case, the prosecution alleges that former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and former Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho made improper demands to then-Acting Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu to terminate the two police officers.

Specifically, it is alleged that Bainimarama, in his capacity as Prime Minister, threatened Tudravu with resignation if he did not fire the officers.

Furthermore, it is alleged that Qiliho, as the Commissioner of Police, later abused his authority by overruling Tudravu’s disciplinary decision and terminating the employment of both officers.

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