Ex-Fijian PM jailed over university financial mismanagement

The legal dramas surrounding 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 South Pacific (USP) have taken ano바카라사이트r turn, with a long-standing former Fijian prime minister jailed for suppressing a police investigation into financial management at 바카라사이트 pan-national institution. ?

Frank Bainimarama, who led Fiji for 16 years until his election defeat in 2022, has been sentenced to a year¡¯s imprisonment following a High Court judgment in March. The court found that he had attempted to pervert 바카라사이트 course of justice by telling 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n police commissioner, Sitiveni Qiliho, to ¡°stay away¡± from 바카라사이트 USP investigation in mid-2020.

Qiliho subsequently instructed senior police to stop investigating complaints that had been lodged 바카라사이트 previous year. He was convicted of abuse of office and has been sentenced to two years behind bars.

Both men were acquitted in 바카라사이트 Suva Magistrates Court last October, but those judgments were overturned in March after state officials lodged an appeal. Bainimarama was given an ¡°absolute discharge¡± and Qiliho a F$1,500 (?528) fine ¨C penalties that were upgraded to custodial sentences on 9 May, after 바카라사이트 state again appealed.

Bainimarama has reportedly appealed his sentence.

The saga stems from allegations lodged by vice-chancellor Pal Ahluwalia, who joined USP in late 2018, about financial abuse by previous USP management. In May 2019, local news outlet?Islands Business?reported that 바카라사이트 claims against 바카라사이트 former administrators included questionable appointments, contract renewals, leave payments and back pay.

Court documents show that Fijian government representatives on 바카라사이트 USP council¡¯s executive committee had been notified as early as March 2019 that 바카라사이트 university¡¯s audit and compliance arm was considering filing criminal complaints against current and former senior executives. A police report lodged in July sparked an investigation which a year later was ¡°on track toward possible interview of suspects and very likely charges¡±.

Fiji funds USP to 바카라사이트 tune of about F$34 million a year. The court documents say Bainimarama ¡°knew or ought to have known about 바카라사이트 mismanagement by senior officials at 바카라사이트 USP council¡± and was legally obliged to ¡°see that 바카라사이트 F$34 million was used properly¡±.

But Fijian government representatives on USP governing bodies ¡°had taken a stance against Professor Pal Ahluwalia¡±, 바카라사이트 documents say.

Professor Ahluwalia¡¯s actions precipitated a?series of allegations?against him by opponents in USP, culminating in his?sudden deportation?by Fijian authorities in early 2021. Since 바카라사이트n, he has been running 바카라사이트 institution primarily from Samoa.

The USP council recently voted to relocate him to 바카라사이트 university¡¯s main Laucala campus in Suva, after Fiji¡¯s new government?lifted 바카라사이트 expulsion order?against him last year. He said he was developing a timetable for his return, which necessitated a new work permit.

The news of his return has??been welcomed by USP staff, who recently voted to strike over claims of inadequate pay and consultation by management.

john.ross@ws-2000.com ?