18 Aug 2004

Fiji police yet to draw link between break-in and Shameem threats

7:53 pm on 18 August 2004

Fiji police say it's too early to tell whether a break-in at the High Court Office of Justice Nazhat Shameem on Tuesday night had anything to do with the general security threat surrounding the judge.

Justice Shameem is the judge who sentenced vice-president Ratu Jope Seniloli and four others for coup-related charges.

She has been under police protection 24-hours a day since the case began in late June and security around her office and home was intensified after the Seniloli sentencing.

Senior Superintendent Ravi Narayan, who is heading the investigation into the break-in, says he doesn't want to speculate on any link between the incident and threats against Justice Shameem.

"There may be speculation, which I don't want to be part of. It's just a mere breaking-in to the office. Nothing is missing from the office. At the moment my officers are conducting an investigation. We cannot say what was the intention of the offender, and we will work out again: if we have to intensify the security, we will, but at this stage - no."