In a stunning fall from grace, former Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama was sentenced to one year in prison today by the Lautoka High Court. Bainimarama, who ruled Fiji for over 16 years after taking power in a military coup in 2006, was found guilty of abuse of office and corruption charges related to spending of public funds during his time in office.
The 68-year-old former military commander turned politician remained stoic as the sentence was handed down, but the courtroom was tense with supporters of the once-powerful leader. Bainimarama had pleaded not guilty to the charges, but the court found overwhelming evidence that he had misused millions of dollars in public money for personal expenses and funding for his FijiFirst political party.
“The evidence shows a clear pattern of the accused treating public funds as his own to use as he saw fit, without regard for transparency or accountability,” said Justice Anjala Singh in delivering the sentence. “This represented a major breach of trust by the highest authority in the land at the time.”
Prosecutors argued that improper spending under Bainimarama included lavish travel, construction of a private residence, purchase of vehicles and boats, and funneling money to the Fiji First party ahead of elections. The total amount alleged to have been misappropriated exceeds 30 million Fijian dollars.
The sentence carries a non-parole period of 9 months before Bainimarama would be eligible for release. However, his legal team has already announced they will appeal both the conviction and sentence, calling it a “travesty of justice” and politically motivated by the current government.
Bainimarama was prime minister from 2007 to 2022, winning elections in 2014 and 2018 after his initial coup installed him as the head of a military government. While credited with a degree of economic growth and development, his tenure was also marked by democratic backsliding, human rights abuses, and increased corruption according to international watchdogs.
The current government, led by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka who defeated Bainimarama’s Fiji First party in the 2022 election, had made anti-corruption a key plank of their campaign. Rabuka said the sentence “shows no one is above the law” but also called for calm amid concerns over potential unrest from Bainimarama’s supporters.
Across the Pacific island nation, reaction was split, with Bainimarama still commanding the loyalty of many who see him as a strongman who brought stability. However, others welcomed the conviction as a check on the authoritarian impulses of the former leader.
The case is likely to continue winding through the Fijian and potentially international legal system for years to come. But today’s sentence undoubtedly represents a massive downfall for one of the Pacific’s once most powerful figures.
