Frank Bainimarama

Bainimarama and Qiliho have a case to answer - masgistrate

The charge being brought against Bainimarama is attempting to pervert the course of justice and Qiliho is charged with one count of abuse of office.

The allegations are related to a complaint filed by the University of the South Pacific (USP) in July 2019 concerning the actions of the regional university's former staff members.

The duo were held in a Suva police cell in March after allegations of interfering with an active police investigation. It is alleged the former leader told Qiliho to stop investigations into allegations of abuse.

Unions force Bainimarama and Fiji rugby board to quit

The FRU will have new trustees, an administrator to take the union to the annual general meeting, and a new set of board members to elect following days of meetings in Suva.

As pressure from major rugby unions like Suva, Naitasiri, Nadroga and Namosi mounted on the executives at Rugby House in the capital, the word finally got out that there were changes to be made.

FRU acting chief executive officer Sale Sorovaki, a son-in-law of former Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, confirmed to media that the planned AGM in Lautoka on Saturday had been postponed.

Fiji's Bainimarama granted bail, ordered to remain in country

Both men have pleaded not guilty to one count each of abuse of office.

RNZ Pacific reports Magistrate Seini Puamau has set bail at $FJ10,000 (over $NZ7,000), according to local media reports.

Bainimarama and Qiliho have also been ordered not to leave the country and to reside at a permanent address.

Magistrate Puamau also ordered them not to interfere with witnesses.

They are next expected in court on May 11.

Former Fiji PM Bainimarama spends night in police cell, due in court today

The pair were charged with one count each of abuse of office following the sanctioning of charges by the Public Prosecutions director (DPP) Christopher Pryde earlier on Thursday.

The two are alleged to have interfered in an active investigation into a financial mismanagement case involving former staff of the University of the South Pacific almost four years ago reports RNZ Pacific.

Acting Police Commissioner (ACP) Sakeo Raikaci said they were kept in custody at the Totogo Police Station and will be taken to the Suva Magistrates Court at 8am local time.

Former Fiji PM Frank Bainimarama resigns from Parliament

Bainimarama, who was the opposition leader, made the announcement via a five-minute video on Facebook on Wednesday.

He said his suspension on February 17 was "unwarranted and most certainly unjustified".

"I did not swear nor did I make any racist or divisive comments," he said.

Fiji and Australian PMs play down recent barbs

Just weeks after levelling fierce criticism at Scott Morrison, Mr Bainimarama also played down the differences between the two leaders.

AAP reports the two prime ministers signed the Fiji-Australia Vuvale Partnership, aimed at strengthening security and economic ties.

The Fiji leader recently accused Australia of being insulting over negotiations about climate change at the Pacific Islands Forum. He even told media that he had been mistaken in his earlier belief that Mr Morrison was his friend.

Fiji hits back over Indonesia's place in the MSG

Speaking in the Solomons parliament Monday, Manasseh Sogavare said Fiji should apologise for bringing Indonesia into the MSG.  

He said Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama breached MSG procedure by forcing the other four full members to accept Indonesia as part of the sub-regional grouping, whose full members are Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and FLNKS Kanaks movement of New Caledonia.  

Indonesia was admitted to the MSG with observer status in 2011 after Bainimarama assumed the MSG's rotational chairmanship.  

Bainimarama calls for new emissions target at the UN

In his address Frank Bainimarama urged world leaders to strive for more than just the two degrees’ target set in Paris in 2015.

In November, Mr Bainimarama will take up the presidency COP23 UN climate change conference in Germany.

He told leaders at the General Assembly they should commit to limiting global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees celsius above pre-industrial levels.

"It may be tempting for political leaders to show that they are protecting some national industry or near term economic goal," he said.

PIDF to sign Suva Declaration on climate change

He says he had hoped Australia would have done better in its target of reducing emissions by between 26 and 28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.

"I have a simple message today for the Australian Prime Minister: Mr Abbott, it is time to put the welfare and survival of your Pacific Island neighbours before the expansion of your existing coal industry and your continuing reliance on this dirtiest of energy sources. The other day, the President of Kiribati, His Excellency Anote Tong, described Australia's loyalty to coalmines as selfish and I couldn't agree more."