- The court convicted Frank Bainimarama, aged 70, of perverting justice during a police investigation into university fraud.
- Bainimarama pleaded not guilty to the charges but the court found him guilty and decided not to record his conviction.
- The high court overturned the lower court’s ruling and imposed prison sentences on both men.
Fiji’s long-serving former prime minister Frank Bainimarama has received a one-year prison sentence for obstructing a police investigation into corruption. At the age of 70, Bainimarama stands as one of the most prominent politicians in the Pacific Islands, having governed Fiji for over 15 years until he was voted out in 2022.
Internationally, he served as a prominent advocate for climate change action on behalf of vulnerable Pacific nations.
Following the High Court’s ruling on Thursday, authorities took him away in handcuffs.
Last month, authorities convicted him of perverting the course of justice during a police investigation into university fraud.
Prosecutors alleged that he instructed his friend, the former Fijian Police Commissioner, to drop a 2020 investigation into abuses of finances at the University of South Pacific. These abuses purportedly involved alleged bonuses, promotions, and pay rises to staff.
Bainimarama pleaded not guilty to the charges, but a court found in April that he and the police chief, Sitiveni Qiliho, had used their power to sideline the investigation at the university, one of the leading tertiary educations in the region.
Last month, a lower court magistrate spared him a jail term and decided not to record his conviction.
Fiji’s top prosecutors challenged that verdict and launched an appeal.
On Thursday, the country’s high court overturned the lower court’s ruling and imposed prison sentences on both men.
Authorities sentenced Qiliho, suspended from his role to a two-year prison term.
Outside the court, supporters of Bainimarama, who had gathered to hear the verdict, sang hymns, while governing politicians lauded the verdict.
“The court case and sentencing demonstrate that individuals who break the law, regardless of their status, are held accountable,” stated Unity Fiji party leader Savenaca Narube.
Political watchers have observed the timing of the criminal cases brought against Bainimarama.
Following his defeat in the close vote in December 2022 to current PM Sitiveni Rabuka, who led a coalition of parties, Bainimarama faces numerous allegations of political abuse.
Last year, parliament suspended Bainimarama for three years after he delivered a speech criticizing the new government while serving as an opposition leader.
His political party FijiFirst is standing by him. According to local media reports, party senior Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said, “Bainimarama will continue to be the leader of the Fiji First party. Come 2026, we will deal with it.”
Bainimarama, a former military commander, initially seized power in Fiji in a bloodless coup in 2006. He maintained his position by winning democratic elections in 2014 and 2018.
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