Former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and former Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho were charged with inciting mutiny on Wednesday and spent the night in custody at the Totogo Police Station in Suva, Fiji. The charges relate to actions taken following the December 2022 general election, according to Acting Police Commissioner Mesake Waqa.
The pair were taken in handcuffs from the Criminal Investigations Department headquarters in Toorak to Totogo Police Station, and are scheduled to appear in court today, February 19, 2026. The charges, filed under Fiji’s Crimes Act, carry a potential sentence of up to 15 years imprisonment, according to Fiji Sun reporting.
The allegations stem from a decision made by then-Police Commissioner Qiliho, shortly after the 2022 election, to request assistance from the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) to maintain security, and stability. Qiliho stated at the time that the request was prompted by reports of threats against minority groups and growing fears of racial tension in the wake of the election results.
A meeting was convened on December 22, 2022, involving then-Prime Minister Bainimarama, Minister for Defence, National Security and Policing Inia Seruiratu, RFMF Commander and Director General National Security Major General Jone Kalouniwai, and Qiliho. The group reached an agreement to deploy RFMF personnel to support the police in maintaining law and order.
Major General Kalouniwai, in an interview with fijivillage in March 2024, revealed he received communications from individuals attempting to influence the RFMF to take actions against the government following the 2022 election, including requests to remove people from their positions. Kalouniwai affirmed his commitment to upholding the rule of law, stating he would resist any attempts to derail the RFMF’s standards and principles.
The questioning of Bainimarama and Qiliho is understood to focus on the circumstances surrounding the mobilization of the military, as confirmed by RNZ Pacific.
