Fiji’s interim Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama could face up to 10 years' jail for allegedly breaching the nation’s political parties decree.

Police have begun investigations into two complaints made by the opposition United Front for Democratic Fiji.

The party alleges Rear Admiral Bainimarama violated the decree by starting his election campaign before his Fiji First arty was registered for the September 17 poll.

The Fiji police have confirmed they are investigating the regime leader for campaigning without having his party registered and displaying an emblem similar to the coat of arms on his campaign bus.

United Front for Democratic Fiji’s coordinator Mick Beddoes said apart from the apparent campaigning while ostensibly travelling around Fiji obtaining members signatures for his party, there is a conflict of interest in the use of Fiji’s coat of arms by Fiji First as part of its branding.

“There is ample evidence to show that there is an ongoing breach of the decrees.

“These are the decrees that they have forced on the previously registered political parties and we have all had to make a lot of adjustments to comply with this,” he said.

The United Front for Democratic Fiji says it is encouraged that police are actually investigating the interim prime minister for the alleged breaches.

Beddoes said Fiji’s interim prime minister could face up to ten years jail if found guilty of breaching the decree.

The Fiji police confirmed to Radio New Zealand that they are investigating the prime minister for being in breach of a regime decree and a law pertaining to the election promised for September.

A police spokesperson, Ana Naisoro, says investigations are ongoing.

“We can confirm that another report was lodged by Mr Mick Beddoes, and currently investigations are ongoing.

“Similarly, to the one that was lodged a few weeks back. Investigations are continuing, once that is completed, then we will be able to release a statement on the outcome.”

Naisoro says the police cannot give a timeframe as to when the investigations will be completed.

The police would not comment on whether Rear Admiral Bainimarama can approve candidates for his party or continue campaigning while the investigation is pending.

An academic on Fiji says the outcome of any police investigation against Bainimarama needs to be announced soon because of its potential implications on the September elections.

An Auckland University academic, Steven Ratuva, says depending on the outcome of the investigation, Rear Admiral Bainimarama may want to defend himself and the case could end up in court.

“It would need to be investigated pretty early, and whatever decision they’re going to make has to be quite early because it has implications in relation to the formation of a new party and also in relation to campaigns before the election.”

Beddoes says the way the police handle the complaints will show whether the rule of law is taken seriously in Fiji.

He says the regime is breaching its own decrees on a daily basis.

“They’re making a mockery of the rule of law. The idea of my complaint is to expose the shortcomings of the administration in enforcing the rule of law.

“They’re either going to enforce the rule of law equally to everybody, or they are not. And either way, the way they handle my complaints will tell us all exactly what we can expect.”

Beddoes says the police are obliged to investigate any complaint they receive, and his complaint against the prime minister should not be treated any differently.

He said it was also concerning that the name of the interim Prime Minister’s party, Fiji First, has been previously registered by two individuals.

“If he were to have gained permission, then all he needs to do is disclose how he came about doing that.”

“As it stands, they are using a name that has already been previously registered to somebody else.”