5 Jan 2010

Ficac mum about Jalal case

4:21 pm on 5 January 2010

Fiji's Independent Commission Against Corruption has declined to confirm or deny reports that it laid charges against a prominent human rights lawyer.

Imrana Jalal has reportedly been charged on seven counts on New Year's Day, including operating a takeaway restaurant without a licence, failing to display a licence, and disobedience to an order to disclose the licence.

The restaurant is believed to have been sold last August.

Her husband, Ratu Sakiusa Tuisola, has already been taken to court over the same issues.

The presiding magistrate, Mary Muir, had criticised the Commission during his court hearing, describing the case as a Suva City Council matter.

Ms Muir has since been sacked.