Former Fiji PM

The pair were charged with one count each of abuse of office following the sanctioning of charges by the Public Prosecutions director (DPP) Christopher Pryde earlier on Thursday.

The two are alleged to have interfered in an active investigation into a financial mismanagement case involving former staff of the University of the South Pacific almost four years ago reports RNZ Pacific.

Acting Police Commissioner (ACP) Sakeo Raikaci said they were kept in custody at the Totogo Police Station and will be taken to the Suva Magistrates Court at 8am local time.

Bainimarama, who was the opposition leader, made the announcement via a five-minute video on Facebook on Wednesday.

He said his suspension on February 17 was "unwarranted and most certainly unjustified".

"I did not swear nor did I make any racist or divisive comments," he said.

It comes after the former prime minister said the President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere had failed to protect the Constitution and the rule of law in his opening statement for the 2023 parliamentary session on Monday.

The FijiFirst leader will be out of Parliament until 17 February 2026, after a midnight vote as both sides of the House clashed over Bainimarama's suspension.

Leader of government business Lynda Tabuya said Bainimarama's words "denigrated" the Head of State when he uttered "seditious words".

Ratu Tevita Momoedonu died last Thursday at Lautoka Hospital aged 74.

He was prime minister twice - each time briefly. Both appointments were engineered to get around constitutional technicalities during political turmoil which followed Fiji's 2000 coup.

His first term of office - on 27 May 2000 lasted only a few minutes. His second term lasted two days - from 14 to 16 March 2001.

Momoedonu also served in various senior government positions and was an ambassador to Japan and South Korea.

His death was confirmed by his former Sodelpa party. Mr Qarase had been admitted to a Suva hospital two days ago.

The former civil servant turned politician led Fiji in the wake of George Speight's 2000 coup, and led Fiji through a tumultous period marked by broad economic liberalisation, marked by a series of constitutional controversies.

But after a lengthy and bitter falling out, then military commander Frank Bainimarama overthrew Mr Qarase in the 2006 coup.