The Opposition Party petitioned their colleagues in parliament on Friday to impeach the fraudster Cabinet Minister Akosita Lavulavu after she was convicted with her husband for defrauding more than half a million pa’anga of the government school grant scheme.
Opposition Leader Semisi Sika has confirmed this to Kaniva News.
The petition was submitted after the Prime Minister announced he cannot take actions against Akosita citing clause 23 of the constitution.
According to the House procedures the motion of impeachment and its supporting affidavits have to go to the Standing Committee on Privileges first for consideration and recommendations. They will then be returned to the House for debate and put the recommendations to a vote.
The parliamentarians were scheduled to arrive in ‘Eua early this week to join the Free Wesleyan Church annual conference.
As we previously reported, the nobility MPs sided with the Opposition and called on the prime minister to do something against Akosita.
Last week AKosita had to take her seat shortly after she took the floor in parliament to announce her ministries’ new budgets for financial year 2021/2022.
She was skipped over during a parliament debate on the national budget before the Minister of Finance Tevita Lavemaau stepped in and announced the Ministry of Infrastructure and Tourism budgets on her behalf.
Akosita began addressing the House with the normal practice of fakatapu before she was interrupted by nobility MP Lord Tu’iha’angana.
The king’s noble said Akosita was convicted by the court and it was not appropriate for her to deliver a speech on her budgets in the House.
He said the House was debating on important matters relating to the national budget and law.
Lord Tu’iha’angana said it was not easy for him to raise his concerns in front of Akosita but he thought he must say it because all MPs have oaths to maintain the constitution and the law of the country.
The MAFF Minister Lord Tu’ilakepa spoke in support of Lord Tu’iha’angana.
