27 Apr 2006

Fiji police believe dairy company money may have used for 2000 coup

8:23 pm on 27 April 2006

Police are investigating former senior officials of the Rewa Dairy Co-operative Limited for allegedly withdrawing a substantial amount of company money before, during and after the May 2000 crisis.

Radio Legend reports that this has been revealed by the assistant police commissioner crime, Kemueli Bulamainivalu.

He says the alleged transactions took place from 1999 to 2002 and the suspects allegedly withdrew millions of dollars to finance the 2000 coup.

Mr Bulamainivalu says the bank records are yet to be located and the Rewa Dairy management has been directed to find the records and forward it to the police.

He also says they are confident of completing investigations, as the only obstacle is ascertaining how much money was illegally withdrawn.

The managing director of Rewa Dairy in the period under investigation was the coup front man George Speight's father, Sam Speight.