Fiji's former leader Frank Bainimarama released on bail
The Hindu
Mr. Bainimarama had spent the night in jail after they were arrested Thursday
Fiji's former leader Frank Bainimarama was released on bail Friday after pleading not guilty to a charge that he abused his power as Prime Minister by stopping a police investigation.
Both Mr. Bainimarama and the nation's suspended Police Commissioner had spent the night in jail after they were arrested Thursday.
“I served as Fiji's Prime Minister with integrity and with the best interests of Fijians at heart,” Mr. Bainimarama told reporters outside the courtroom, adding that he would fight the charge not only for his legacy but also for democracy.
The development adds another twist to the volatile political situation on the Pacific island nation, where Mr. Bainimarama in December lost a tense election to Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.
Last month, Mr. Bainimarama, 68, was suspended from Parliament for three years for insulting the President, and this week he resigned from Parliament in protest.
Mr. Bainimarama and Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho each face a single charge of abuse of office. Prosecutors claim the pair terminated an active police investigation into former staff members of the University of the South Pacific. Prosecutors said police were continuing their investigation and could lay more charges.
A former military commander, Mr. Bainimarama held power in Fiji for 16 years after first seizing the top job by force in a 2006 military coup. He later recast himself as a democratic leader by introducing a new constitution and winning elections in 2014 and 2018.
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