9 Oct 2014

Fiji's UFP leader apologises to police

8:57 am on 9 October 2014

The leader of Fiji's United Freedom Party has retracted comments made earlier this week regarding the impartiality of the Fiji police.

Nayagodamu Korovou alleged that two vehicles full of soldiers in civilian clothes harassed and attempted to intimidate party officials last week.

In an interview with Radio New Zealand International, Mr Korovou said he refused to lay a police complaint because he believed the police force was biased.

Mr Korovou now says he overstated those comments, and after speaking with the police commissioner Ben Groenewald, has decided to apologise.

However, he says he stands by his allegations of military harassment.

"We still confirm that it was the military who was involved but they were in civilian clothes and we cannot deny that. Our apology is mainly towards the Fiji Police Force, I think we overstated that we do not believe in them and they are biased."

Nayagodamu Korovou says his party has no intention of laying a formal complaint.