PEOPLE'S COALITION GOVERNMENT, FIJI
Police, prosecution negligence continues
Issue No: 825 6 June 2001
The state's prosecution arms continue to absent themselves from cases against terrorists.
Yesterday the Labasa Magistrates Court saw the non-appearance of the state prosecutor in a case involving 34 soldiers
who were charged with being armed in public and consorting with people carrying arms. The state claimed that it had made
an application to amend the charges but because their prosecutor is on leave, this could not be done. The same rebels
were also charged with unlawful assembly, for which they were fined $10 each last month.
The Magistrate has adjourned the case to 22 August.
In Suva, numerous terrorists were freed by the Chief Magistrate when the prosecutors could not get two key witnesses,
both soldiers.
In another development, the media reports that the state prosecution office has handed down all cases other than the
treason ones, to the police prosecution unit. The police department, however, has denied any knowledge of the handover.
Most believe the strategy is deliberately designed by the police and sections of the state prosecution office to get the
terrorists freed.
END