4 Nov 2003

Fiji police to continue pursuing seven high profile people involved in coup

4:28 pm on 4 November 2003

Fiji police say they're continuing to pursue seven high profile people who joined the coup administration despite their files being returned by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Spokesman, Mesake Koroi, says they've been told by the DPP that there's insufficient evidence to lay charges against the group, which includes a current cabinet minister and a senator.

This is despite the swearing-in ceremony being broadcast nationally on television.

Mr Koroi says they've been told to gather more direct evidence which has been difficult to do.

"The unavailability of people or unwillingness of people to come forward and give direct evidence as to what actually happened. There has been quite a lot of hearsay or evidence - this thing happened, that thing happened so and so did this and so and so did this - but nobody is really willing to come out and stand up to be counted."

Six people, including the vice-president and the deputy speaker of parliament, have been charged in connection with the swearing in ceremony.

A highly placed source says the case against the other seven is more difficult because that group wasn't captured on television so direct evidence is required.