NEWS

COMPLAINT FILED - 6-Sep-2008

THE political landscape took another twist yesterday after the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL) filed a complaint seeking charges of treason it alleged was committed by the Commander, Fiji Military Forces, Frank Bainimarama and members of his Military Council on December 5, 2006.

And the complaint had been lodged on behalf of the SDL party by senior members of the party and elected Members of Parliament – the ousted Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase, Samisoni Tikoinasau, Ted Young, Mere Samisoni and Dr Tupeni Baba.

SDL National Director Peceli Kinivuwai revealed that the complaint was lodged at the Raiwaqa Police Station in Suva yesterday.

He said the complaint alleged that Bainimarama, members of the military council and “possibly others” had committed treason contrary to section 50 of the Penal Code.

The complaint stated that “the individuals mentioned, together and or not with the support and encouragement of others during the period up to December 5 and beyond conspired to overthrow and did overthrow the constitutional and elected government of Qarase.

The complaints also stated that members of the interim Cabinet, both past and present had taken unlawful oaths contrary to Section 5 of the Public Order Act.

Kinivuwai said the complainants expected the police to attend to all formalities, interviews and other actions necessary to formalise their complaints.

He added that police investigations might “reveal other individuals who may need to be investigated and charged.”

“The complainants are confident that the police will have no difficulty in their investigation, given their experience in investigating similar charges against George Speight, Timoci Silatolu and others, all of whom have either served or are continuing time in prison,” Kinivuwai said.

The complaint also stated that the interim regime’s Promulgation No .3 of January 18, 2007 could exempt anyone from prosecution for treason.

Qarase said the party did not earlier lodge the complaint because they wanted to wait for any changes that would take place before the end of two years after the coup.

He said the SDL and the complainants expected Commissioner of Police Esala Teleni to step aside to allow the investigations to begin since he was implicated in their allegations.

And it was also revealed that all members of the National Council for Building a Better Fiji (NCBBF) and former interim Cabinet ministers would be part of the investigations since they illegally swore the oaths by the regime.

Meanwhile, Mick Beddoes, Leader of the Untied People’s Party and Adi Sivia Qoro, a former member of the Fiji Labour Part, had expressed their support and expect the police to begin their investigations soon.

Qarase said since the 1997 Constitution was still in place and the SDL believed that the rule of law existed and should not be excluded to all, no matter who they were.








NANISE VOLAU

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