Fiji’s Acting Director of Public Prosecutions John Rabuku has filed an appeal against the acquittal of the former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and the suspended Commissioner of Police Sitiveni Qiliho citing that the Magistrate erred in both law and fact on several evidentiary and procedural issues “thereby resulting in an unfair trial and an erroneous verdict.”
Bainimarama had been charged with one count of attempting to pervert the course of justice, and Qiliho was charged with one count of abuse of office. They were found not guilty and acquitted accordingly by the Suva Magistrates Court on 12 October 2023.
The State says it has filed eight grounds of appeal and reserves the right to amend, add, or delete any grounds of appeal upon receipt of the court record.
The Notice of Appeal against the acquittal was filed in the High Court yesterday afternoon (November 2, 2023).
