Former fisheries minister Kalaveti Ravu has been acquitted of all charges relating to abuse of office in a ruling by the Suva Magistrate’s Court. Along with regional fisheries manager Tekata Toaisi, Ravu faced allegations that he obstructed a lawful ministerial investigation into the illegal trade of a banned species of beche-de-mer during a period in 2023.
Magistrate Jeremaia Savou delivered the verdict, highlighting that the prosecution had not successfully established the required elements of the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Notably, he pointed out that Ravu was not classified as a civil servant, which impacted the case against him. Similarly, the court found that the accusations against Toaisi, who was alleged to have aided Ravu, were also unsubstantiated.
This decision comes after a previous no-case-to-answer ruling in February 2025, which had acquitted both individuals before the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) successfully appealed for a retrial. The ODPP now has a 28-day window to decide whether to pursue an appeal against the magistrate’s ruling.
This acquittal marks a significant development in the ongoing legal saga surrounding allegations of misconduct in Fiji’s fisheries sector, raising questions about the effectiveness of such investigations and the judicial outcomes they produce. The case underscores the importance of robust evidence in legal settings and reinforces the principle that individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty.