13 Jun 2007

Lawyer and client at odds with Fiji anti-corruption unit

9:27 am on 13 June 2007

An attempt is being made to restrain the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption from continuing with its investigation of a travel agent charged with involvement in a passport scam.

Fiji TV reports that the travel agent, Alvin Raj, filed a complaint with the police last week alleging abuse of office and sexual harassment against the Commission's lead prosecutor.

This week Raj's lawyer, Haroon Ali Shah of Lautoka, filed a restraining order to prevent the Commission from questioning him after which Raj went into hiding.

Now the prosecutor, Superintendent Nasir Ali, has filed a complaint with the police that Mr Shah is perverting the course of justice by preventing him from questioning Raj.

Mr Shah has based his argument on the grounds that only parliament makes laws and the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption is not legal because it did not go through the parliamentary process.

Mr Shah says the Commission prosecutors know where his office is and has challenged to them to come and arrest him.