Fiji’s former Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama jailed for a year
Al Jazeera
Judge says Bainimarama abused his power to shut down an investigation into alleged corruption at the University of the South Pacific
Frank Bainimarama, who was Fiji’s prime minister for some 15 years until losing power in 2022, has been jailed for a year after he was found guilty of using his position to shut down a corruption investigation into a prominent university.
Once armed forces chief, Bainimarama seized power in a 2006 coup and later won democratic elections in 2014 and 2018.
The 70-year-old narrowly lost the December 2022 election to a coalition of parties led by the current prime minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, but remains a popular figure.
Outside the court in Suva on Thursday, a crowd of supporters gathered ahead of the sentencing.
Bainimarama’s wife Maria sobbed as acting Chief Justice Salesi Temo announced his decision, and the former prime minister was led away in handcuffs.
