Fiji's Former Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama Sentenced to One Year in Jail

Frank Bainimarama, Fiji's former Prime Minister, was sentenced to one year in prison for perverting the course of justice. The conviction is related to his role in a police investigation into funding of the University of the South Pacific in 2019. Despite this ruling, Bainimarama will remain the leader of the FijiFirst party. Unity Fiji party leader Savenaca Narube believes that the court's decision will not cause political chaos. Bainimarama served as Prime Minister for 15 years until losing power in 2022. He narrowly lost the December 2022 election to a coalition of parties led by current Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.