[Photo: JOSEFA SIGAVOLAVOLA]
A year after being charged by the Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption with a count of perjury and an alternative count of false information to a public servant, former Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica is now free of the allegations labelled against him.
Kamikamica was charged in July last year and he stepped down from his ministerial post.
Following a hearing on this matter last month, defence counsel Wylie Clarke had filed a no case to answer application in the Suva Magistrates Court.
In that application, Clarke had stated that FICAC was not able to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt and the key elements of the charge.
He had stated that FICAC was not able to show the falsity of the charges and the witnesses didn’t prove the elements either through their evidence.
FICAC had alleged that between 1 December 2024 and 31 March 2025, in Suva, Kamikamica knowingly made a false statement under oath, claiming that he had nothing to do with the appointment of the FICAC Commissioner.
In the alternative, FICAC had alleged that he provided the same false information to the Commissioner of Inquiry.
During the hearing, Commission of Inquiry counsel Janet Mason and former Fisheries Minister Kalaveti Ravu took the stand.
Mason had told the court that Kamikamica gave evidence before the 2024 Commission of Inquiry into the appointment of the FICAC Commissioner and that there was contradictory evidence regarding his knowledge of Barbara Malimali’s appointment.
She had said the issue stemmed from an affidavit by former Fisheries Minister Ravu, who alleged Kamikamica approached him on three occasions about his court case, informed him of Malimali’s appointment as FICAC Commissioner and asked him to provide a letter so that his case could be sorted out with Malimali.
Mason had testified that when questioned during the inquiry, Kamikamica denied the allegations, saying he could not recall ever discussing Malimali’s appointment with Ravu.
Ravu had testified that Kamikamica had asked him about his case on the 8th of July, while Kamikamica and former Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad had also enquired about the matter on the 5th of August.
Ravu also told the court that Kamikamica informed him that Barbara Malimali would be appointed as the FICAC Commissioner.
Defence lawyer Wylie Clarke did not cross-examine Ravu but filed a no case to answer application.
In a ruling today, the Suva Magistrate said that considering the evidence by Mason, limited evidence adduced by Ravu and considering the agreed facts and documents, the court finds that there is no evidence that Kamikamica made a material statement in relation to those proceedings.
The Magistrate said that if it were material, then the Commission would have enquired further and that it did not inquire further into this because, as Mason stated, it was not in the scope of the CIO proceedings.
The Magistrate said that the prosecution failed to adduce sufficient evidence to establish the elements of the offence and dismissed the case and acquitted Kamikamica.
