Fiji’s Former Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama Sentenced to Prison for Obstructing Police Investigation
Fiji’s former prime minister Frank Bainimarama, who served for a long time, has been given a one-year prison sentence for impeding a police investigation into corruption.
Bainimarama, 70, is a prominent politician in the Pacific Islands, having governed Fiji for over 15 years until he was defeated in 2022.
Internationally, he played a key role in advocating for climate change measures for vulnerable Pacific nations.
After the High Court’s decision on Thursday, he was escorted away in handcuffs.
He was found guilty last month of obstructing justice during a police probe into university fraud.
Prosecutors claimed he instructed a friend, the former Fijian Police Commissioner, to halt a 2020 investigation into financial mismanagement at the University of South Pacific, which included allegations of improper bonuses, promotions, and pay raises.
Bainimarama denied the charges, but a court in April ruled that he and police chief Sitiveni Qiliho used their authority to interfere with the university investigation, one of the top institutions in the area.
Initially, he avoided a prison sentence last month when a lower court magistrate decided not to record his conviction.
However, Fiji’s top prosecutors contested the verdict and filed an appeal.
On Thursday, the nation’s high court overturned the lower court’s ruling and sentenced both men to prison.
Qiliho, who is currently suspended from his position, received a two-year prison term.
Outside the court, Bainimarama’s supporters sang hymns while government officials lauded the verdict.
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“The court case and sentencing demonstrate… that those who violate the law, regardless of their status, are held accountable,” Unity Fiji party leader Savenaca Narube stated.
Observers have noted the timing of the criminal charges against Bainimarama.
He faces numerous accusations of political abuse following his narrow defeat in December 2022 by current Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, who led a coalition of parties.
Last year, Bainimarama was also barred from parliament for three years as an opposition leader after he criticized the new government in a speech.
His political party, FijiFirst, supports him. “Bainimarama will remain the leader of the FijiFirst party. We will address the matter in 2026,” senior party member Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum stated, as reported by local media.
Bainimarama, previously a military commander, initially took power in Fiji through a bloodless coup in 2006. He maintained his position by winning democratic elections in 2014 and 2018.
Fiji’s Former Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama Sentenced to Prison for Obstructing Police Investigation