A Suva High court today has overturned the ruling that acquitted former Fiji Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho of charges related to attempting to pervert the course of justice and abuse of office, respectively.
In making the decision, Acting Chief Justice Salesi Temo found them both guilty and convicted them of the charges.
The case is scheduled for sentencing on March 28 at 9.30am. It is expected to be called again before Resident Magistrate Seini Puamau for the pronouncements as well as for sentencing submission next Monday, March 18.
The allegations stemmed from actions in July 2020, where Bainimarama, then serving as Prime Minister, was accused of directing Qiliho to halt an investigation into a police complaint filed by the University of the South Pacific.
Magistrate Puamau initially declared the defendants not guilty, citing insufficient evidence, after a 11-week trial in October last year.
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