Suva, May 9 (IANS): Former Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has been sentenced to one-year imprisonment after being charged with one count of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Suspended Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho has been sentenced to two years imprisonment for the charge of abuse of office, according to local media reports on Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Reports said Bainimarama had directed the suspended police commissioner to stop an investigation into a police complaint on a University of the South Pacific matter in 2020.

They have 30 days to appeal, said acting Chief Justice Salesi Temo.

Bainimarama, who is also the leader of FijiFirst Party, will not be able to contest in the next general election, but his party leadership does not change, FijiFirst's Acting Secretary Faiyaz Koya told the media.

According to the 2013 Fijian Constitution, individuals are barred from contesting an election if they have been convicted of any offence in the eight years prior to being nominated, for which the maximum penalty under the law is a prison term of 12 months or more.