8 Sep 2008

Unclear whether Fiji police to investigate new treason complaint

10:45 am on 8 September 2008

Fiji police have yet to say whether they will or will not investigate the treason complaint filed against interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama and his government.

The Police Director Operations Waisea Tabakau said all he could confirm was that they would stand by an earlier statement from Police Commissioner Esala Teleni.

When asked by the Fiji Times to define what Mr Teleni meant in the statement, Mr Tabakau said, "We stand by the statement even if it is unclear."

The complaint was jointly filed by ousted Prime Minister Laisneia Qarase, former Opposition leader Mick Beddoes, and former parliamentarians Samisoni Tikoinasau, Ted Young, Mere Samisoni, Dr Tupeni Baba and Sivia Qoro.

Mr Teleni said the nature of the report against 14 senior ranking army officers, 20 past and current members of the interim government, Archbishop Petero Mataca, John Samy and members of the National Council for Building A Better Fiji was an abuse of process.

The aggrieved parties claim the regime took an unlawful oath, aided and abetted and became benefactors of treason.

Mr Qarase said he could not see how a complaint to police could instigate instability.

He urged Mr Teleni to allow the police to carry out their investigations.