21 Sep 2004

Fiji agriculture scam police chief did not follow instructions

2:56 pm on 21 September 2004

The Fiji police team investigating the 13-million US dollar agriculture ministry scam was replaced because its head refused to follow instructions.

This has been disclosed by the police commissioner, Andrew Hughes,

Mr Hughes says the deputy commissioner, Moses driver, told the team head, Inspector Nasir Ali, to forward each file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions as it was completed.

But the Inspector refused to do this, instead accusing Mr Driver of interfering with the investigations.

Mr Hughes says the New Zealand Serious Fraud Office will now be spearheading the investigations because "it is a high profile case with a lot of political sensitivity."

The director of public prosecutions, Josaia Naigulevu, has given his full backing to the new initiative.

Mr Naigulevu says good governance issues are involved and it is important that not only is the scam investigated properly, but also prosecuted effectively in the courts.