24 Jun 2004

Bainimarama police file to go to Fiji prosecutor

4:20 pm on 24 June 2004

A police file on Fiji's military commander, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, will be sent to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Radio Legend says the file relates to investigations into an alleged threat made by Commodore Bainimarama to the former chief executive of the home affairs ministry, Colonel Jeremaia Waqanisau.

It says it will be up to state prosecutors to decide whether a criminal offence was committed by the country's highest ranking military officer and whether to lay charges.

The deputy police commissioner, Moses Driver, conducted the investigation into Commodore Bainimarama, which ended with a recent interview.

The threat was allegedly made at the height of the stand-off between the government and Commodore Bainimarama, who was insisting on being re-appointed to another term to ensure current coup and mutiny prosecutions were completed.

Col Waqanisau was opposed to the re-appointment but when Commodore Bainimarama's contract was renewed, the Colonel was posted as Fiji's ambassador to China, which is about to host an official visit by the Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase.