SINISTER PLOT to remove acting Election Supervisor Ana MATAICIWA. Fijileaks investigation leads to A-G Siromi Turaga, culminating in Barbara Malimali trying to drive Mataiciwa out and replace with Graham LEUNG

Fiji Sun headline

Fijileaks: Did Barbara Malimali consult Graham Leung before putting his name forward to COC chair Sitiveni Rabuka for Leung to replace Mataiciwa?
*Attorney-General Siromi Turaqa had allegedly pushed the candidacy of his legal chum JIOJI MOMO BOSEIWAQA for the position with COC but Rabuka sided with Mataiciwa, for her long association with the Fiji Elections Office. 

*Fiji Elections Office manager Legal Ana Salaivalu Mataiciwa had been appointed acting Supervisor of Elections following the suspension of Mohammed Saneem.
*The appointment was made by President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere on the advice of the Constitutional Offices Commission (COC).
*A Government statement issued had stated that the advice was resolved in the COC meeting held on Thursday, January 26, 2023 and conveyed to the President by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka as chairperson.

Things to Do: Remove Mataiciwa

Malimali

*The appointment came as a shock to Attorney-General Siromi Turaqa who had allegedly pushed the candidacy of his legal chum JIOJI MOMO BOSEIWAQA for the position with COC but according to reliable sources close to the interview process, Rabuka sided with Mataiciwa, for her long association with the Fiji Elections Office. 
*On 8 March 2023, Turaga appointed Boseiwaqa as a Magistrate.

Turaga

Meanwhile, a chuffed Turaqa allegedly began to frustrate Mataiciwa's appointment at the FEO. He was angry that Mataiciwa had allegedly given him 'a telling off', to stop interfering in the affairs of the FEO. She reminded him that her office was an independent institution, and that she would not be taking directions from him.
​*Despite Rabuka publicly approving the allowance to Mataiciwa, both Turaga and the Solicitor-General Ropate Green allegedly initially refused to process her acting SOE allowance. 
*On 5 August 2023 Rabuka, as chair of COC, recommended that Suva lawyer Barbara Malimali be appointed as chair of the Electoral Commission.
*It was not long before she allegedly began 'flexing her muscles', with Mataiciwa standing her ground.
*It is alleged that Malimali, Turaga and Green tried to block Mataiciwa's maternity leave.
*Also, Malimali wanted to sit on the interview panel at COC to select the next SOE but her request was roundly declined.

Boseiwaqa

*The rest, as we say, is history, with her writing to Rabuka to replace Mataiciwa with Leung.

Ropate Green - Solicitor-General