16 Feb 2012

Fresh call for justice in 2007 Fiji killing of civilian Verebasaga

2:36 pm on 16 February 2012

The brother of a Fiji man, Nimilote Verebasaga, who was beaten to death by the military in 2007, says justice has never been done.

The killing was the first of a civilian by the security forces after the military had seized power in December 2006.

In an interview posted on the Youtube website, Nemani Ramasei says he has gone public in the hope that one day the perpetrators will be punished and the case can be put to rest.

In 2009, one soldier, Maika Vuniwawa, was sentenced to three years in prison for manslaughter but released before the end of his term, with the family deploring he was not given a harsher sentence.

Mr Ramasei says all the others involved in the fatal beating are free.

"There was no justice done till today, and all we want is justice to be served on the killers as they are still out in the streets in Fiji."

Nemani Ramasei says his late brother's family is now in New Zealand.

He has also expressed concern at the new public order act, which he says allows the security forces to kill anyone getting in their way.