A former employee at Fiji’s public prosecutions office fears for her life after making explosive allegations about corruption in the organisation which were leaked online.
Susana Vuniani, who resigned from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) in May, told RNZ Pacific that there was a conspiracy to quash last year’s damning Commission of Inquiry (COI) and prevent the prosecution of high-profile people in Fiji.
“All I want is to be with my three children, but I am too scared to leave Australia and return to Fiji,” the ODPP’s former administration officer said.
Vuniani, 41, said she made a statutory declaration before a Justice of the Peace in Sydney on 26 June in support of a colleague.
She said she never expected her testimony to be leaked.
Fiji’s Independent Commission Against Corruption has said there is insufficient evidence to commence a formal corruption investigation following Vuniani’s allegations.
ABC/Supplied
Police charges ignored
In her testimony, Vuniani said she previously attended a meeting at which Fiji’s Chief Justice Salesi Temo, the acting director of public prosecutions Nancy Tikoisuva and her deputy John Rabuku shelved police recommendations to charge a list of people named in the inquiry.
“During the meeting it was decided that the COI case would be closed, as the individuals implicated were high-profile civil servants, members of parliament, senior members of the legal fraternity, including the judiciary and the DPP leadership itself, ” Vuniani said.
“What they said is that proceeding with charges would cause embarrassment and conflict and that this was the directive given by Chief Justice Temo.”
In January, Tikoisuva announced that twelve police investigations arising from the COI had been dismissed due to insufficient evidence.
“Due to the sensitivity of the matters and the significant public interest generated by the COI, the files were assessed by multiple senior prosecutors who had no prior involvement or connection with any of the parties named in the complaints,” she said.
The initial assessments by senior prosecutors were subsequently reviewed by an independent, Sydney-based senior consultant, Ian Lloyd KC, and the office was guided by his recommendations, Tikoisuva said.
However, Vuniani claimed all of the work was done in-house.
“The files were allocated to the assistant DPPs and the principal legal officers. But there were no files that were sent to the Kings Counsel. How can that happen if the physical file is still with the legal officers in the DPP’S office?” she said.
Public prosecutors dismiss allegations
The ODPP has rejected the former staff member’s allegations.
fijivillage.com reported that the ODPP said the charges were thrown out after it looked at the evidence, prospects of conviction, public interest, statutory limitation periods, immunity provisions and the distinction between criminal and civil liability.
The office said it was concerned with Vuniani’s false statements regarding her employment status as she had resigned without providing proper notice, in line with her employment contract.
It also said there were “material inconsistencies” in her statutory declaration that they would refer to the Australian authorities.
Vuniani said she is in Australia on a visitor’s visa and has no intention of seeking asylum from the Australian government.
“The visa has just expired, but due to this [the leak] I have no other option but to stay and seek an extension, until it is safe to return,” she said.
“I can’t go back to Fiji, I am really scared and I don’t know what the ODPP will do.
“I have heard that the authorities in Fiji want to extradite me for questioning and if I go home they could arrest me at the airport,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Fiji’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) said there was insufficient evidence to commence a formal corruption investigation following Vuniani’s allegations.
The anti-corruption agency said it had verified the existence of a signed written legal opinion by Ian Lloyd KC held by the public prosecutions office.
“Having considered the material presently available, the Commission has concluded that it does not disclose a sufficient evidential basis to commence a formal corruption investigation against any of the persons named above.
“The complaint file has therefore been closed.”
