Former Fiji resident fears return after profanities

Transcript

A former aide to two former prime ministers in Fiji says he is afraid of returning to the country after receiving an apparent  threat from Fiji's police chief via Facebook.

Shailendra Raju says on Monday afternoon he received an abusive message apparently from the account of Sitiveni Qiliho in his role as Fiji's acting Police Commissioner.

Mr Raju told Sally Round the message containing profane language shows Mr Qiliho is not fit to hold the role of permanent police chief which he is applying for.

SHAILENDRA RAJU: It was a very short message but obviously very very rude, unprofessional and completely unbecoming of an acting Police Commissioner. And it's quite disturbing for me personally because I haven't been to Fiji for five years and this threat just confirms that should I enter Fiji anything could happen.

SALLY ROUND: How are you sure that this threat was genuine?

S RAJU: Unless Mr Qiliho completely denies this is his account but I've seen the profile pictures. It has Mr Qiliho and his young child and of course some pictures of what appears to be his Mrs.

S ROUND: And you've been communicating with the action Police Commissioner in recent days?

S RAJU: Not directly though but on my Facebook I have been continuously raising or highlighting three important investigations. One of them is relating to the kidnapping of (internet cafe owner) Mr (Rajneel) Singh and obviously that is a matter of national interest because there were some allegations that certain people were plotting the assassination of government members and my articles were directly asking what the status of those investigations were, because a week ago I received a full statement of Mr Singh in which he implicated policemen  from Ba and the question I've been asking is if the statement .... Mr Qiliho himself admitted at some point he knew the identities of those who kidnapped Mr Singh but nothing has come out of that investigation. And I've been pressing this issue and it appears that he has lost his composure and chose to attack me directly in this manner.

S ROUND: Have you received any threats like this before?

S RAJU: No not of this nature. Not from someone holding a high office like Qiliho.

S ROUND: Were you planning any visits to Fiji? Is this putting you off?

S RAJU: My parents live in Fiji. I was planning to be there in December and now this threat, it's something I have to very carefully think about. Putting this in context, a senior officer is recently seeking asylum in Australia for security reasons who was apparently forced to resign so all these things, a combination of all this background makes a solid case that the rule of law in Fiji is under serious doubt.

S ROUND: What will you be doing about this threat? Are you going to the police in Fiji about it? Will you be taking it up with Mr Qiliho?

S RAJU: I'm looking at writing to the Constitutional Offices Commission. Mr Qiliho is contemplating applying for the position of police commissioner. I don't think he's fit at all. The only cause of action that I have is to write to the Constitutional Offices Commission and raise their attention to this incident and I think this should render Mr Qiliho unfit to be appointed as Police Commissioner.

That was the former aide to two former prime ministers in Fiji, Shailendra Raju.

He says the Facebook account has since been deleted although a personal account under Mr Qiliho's name remains on Facebook.

The Fiji police force has been contacted for comment.