5 Sep 2019

Report on alleged asssault by Fiji PM delayed

3:41 pm on 5 September 2019

The release of a Fiji parliamentary report on the Prime Minister's alleged assault of an opposition MP has been delayed.

Frank Bainimarama and Pio Tikoduadua

Frank Bainimarama and Pio Tikoduadua Photo: AFP and CC BY-SA 4.0

A committee is reviewing the 9 August incident after video footage showed Frank Binimarama grabbing and shoving Pio Tikoduadua.

This week the Speaker said both men had breached parliament's standing orders and referred the incident to the Privileges Committee.

The four-member committee is also considering an alleged personal attack by Mr Tikoduadua against Mr Bainimarama.

Its report on both complaints was due today but the Speaker, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, has granted a request to delay this until Friday.

Fiji's Attorney-General, Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, and the leader of the opposition, Sitiveni Rabuka, both stepped down from the Priveleges Committee this week after Mr Rabuka criticised Mr Khaiyum for an alleged conflict of interest because of public statements he made on the matter.

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