Ex-Fiji Rugby executive says anti-corruption agency 'not fit for purpose' after court victory

Former Fiji Rugby Union executive Charlie Charters has criticized Fiji's anti-corruption agency, the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), stating it is "not fit for purpose". The criticism emerged after the Fiji High Court in Suva granted a permanent stay of criminal proceedings against Charters in July. In March, FICAC had charged Charters with two counts of aiding and abetting an unnamed whistleblower to unlawfully disclose official information.

However, the High Court ruled that FICAC had violated Charters' constitutional rights and abused the court process. Justice Pita Bulamainaivalu found that FICAC's actions contravened Section 13 and 17 of the 2013 Constitution, which protect freedom of speech, expression, thought, opinion, and publication. Charters hailed the ruling as a victory for justice and urged Fiji to reconsider its approach to combating corruption.

He suggested that if successful prosecutions are the benchmark for success, then FICAC falls short. Charters attributed the agency's methods to former Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, alleging they were used to target political opponents. The current Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, had campaigned in 2022 to dissolve FICAC, but it continues to operate, targeting government critics such as former Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica and Professor Biman Prasad.

Both men are currently facing cases against FICAC. Lawyers Juleen Fatiaki and Seforan Fatiaki represented Charters, while Justice Bulamainaivalu granted FICAC a 30-day window to appeal the ruling to the Fiji Court of Appeal. FICAC has not released any statement regarding the outcome.