Former Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama Sentenced to Jail for Perverting Justice
Former Prime Minister of Fiji, Frank Bainimarama, has been sentenced to one year in jail following his conviction for perverting the course of justice. Bainimarama, who served as Fiji's leader for 16 years, faced the country's High Court in the capital Suva on Thursday.
The conviction stems from Bainimarama's involvement in influencing a police investigation into funding at the University of the South Pacific, the region's largest university, in 2019.
As the sentence was delivered, the courtroom fell silent. Bainimarama was then escorted out in handcuffs, surrounded by police officers, and taken away in a waiting police van. While Bainimarama remained stoic, his wife, who was seated beside him, broke down in tears.
Bainimarama's legal team expressed intentions to appeal the verdict after their attempt to secure bail for the former prime minister was rejected by the High Court.
Security measures were visibly heightened in and around the court premises, reflecting increased security across Fiji's capital on Thursday.
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