The Fijian government has found itself caught up in another scandal after an explicit video involving one of its cabinet ministers ended up in the public domain on the eve of Fiji Day.
According to local media reports over the weekend, the one-minute clip appeared on a prominent male minister’s Facebook profile on Friday night before it was taken down.
“The Minister concerned has not made any comments since yesterday, and has also not said whether his account was hacked or whether it was accidentally put up,” a report on fijivillage.com on Saturday said.
“He has also not confirmed if the Online Safety Commission has been alerted as the video is now being circulated,” it reported.
This is the second time an intimate recording of a Fiji government minister has surfaced online under Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s administration.
The latest video scandal has dominated Fijian social media over the weekend.
In its frontpage story on Monday, the Fiji Sun reported that the prime minister is challenging anyone making allegations against the minister concerned to come forward with evidence and testify.
“I want someone ready to testify against my minister so I can give him the opportunity to defend himself,” Rabuka was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
RNZ Pacific has contacted the concerned minister for comment.
