10 Jan 2006

Former Fiji commandos still in Bougainville despite deportation order

11:14 am on 10 January 2006

The Bougainville police minister says only one Fijian former commando has been successfully deported from Papua New Guinea.

Fereti Rokodi, who left on Sunday, is one of eight Fijians brought into the country for security training by money scheme operator Noah Musingku in Bougainville.

Their visa's expired on 28th of December and three of the Fijians were ordered to be immediately deported last week.

But the Bougainville police minister Ezekiel Massat says while Mr Rokodi left on Sunday, it is unclear why the others still remain.

"I am aware that one has left on his own accord through Cairns. The other two were supposed to be on another commercial flight. We are still trying to figure out how one of them could have left without the Fiji High Commission in Port Moresby knowing. They were supposed to have travelled out on one flight out of Port Moresby. 18"

The Bougainville police minister Ezekiel Massat.

Five of the former commandoes remain on Bougainville.