3 Jan 2013

Fiji military says Ghai should be charged over constitution distribution

1:06 pm on 3 January 2013

Fiji's military says the head of the Constitution Commission should face charges after he released copies of the draft constitution.

Professor Yash Ghai released the draft to a number of groups after police confiscated printed copies and burned proofs of the document.

He says it makes no sense to say that the draft cannot be released, and is adamant he hasn't broken law.

The Land Forces Commander, Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga, says Professor Ghai has breached the decrees around the constitutional process, and should face charges, but he has left the country.

"The law of Fiji is determined. And it is also implemented by law enforcers of Fiji, which in our case is the Fiji police force. They read the decree, it wasn't written there that Professor Ghai had the right to distribute it to the people. It didn't say that Yash Ghai was detailed to consult the people after the writing of the draft constitution."

Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga says anyone distributing the draft, or parts of it, is doing so illegally.