Lawyer Aman Ravindra-Singh has rejected claims by the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission that Dr Jone Hawea had access to a lawyer when he was taken in for questioning by police in Suva.
In a statement on Thursday, commission director Ashwin Raj said Dr Hawea had access to legal counsel while in detention at the Totogo police station in Suva and that he was visited by legal representative, Graham Leung.
In response, Mr Ravindra-Singh said Dr Hawea wanted his legal counsel present during the police interview.
He said he had asked Mr Leung to check on Dr Hawea because he could not contact him on Wednesday and when Mr Leung arrived at 3.30pm on Thursday, the police interview was about to end.
Mr Ravindra-Singh said his client was denied his human rights, which was the right of access to legal counsel, and that continued from the moment of his arrest.
“Maybe he (Raj) saw a lawyer with Dr Hawea at 3:30pm but prior to that, there was no lawyer during the interview and prior to that on Wednesday, there was also no lawyer present during the interview.”
Responding to Mr Ravindra-Singh, Mr Raj said that he was informed during a visit to Dr Hawea on Thursday at Totogo Police Station that Mr Leung was the legal counsel.
“He (Dr Hawea) informed me that Mr Leung had been appointed by his family members after he was moved to Suva from Lautoka.
“He (Dr Hawea) informed us that Aman Ravindra-Singh was his lawyer who is based in Lautoka as he had requested the police to arrange his pass, but when he was moved to Suva, Dr Hawea appointed Mr Leung as his legal counsel.”
Dr Hawea said a family member in Suva arranged for Mr Leung after realising that Mr Ravindra-Singh was not present.
“I told Mr Ashwin Raj that since I was picked up at my home in (Lautoka) I had informed the officers there that my lawyer is Aman Ravindra-Singh and he resides in Lautoka, and if they were going to transfer me to Suva, then I needed him to be with me,” he said.
He said Mr Leung showed up when the interview was also done.
Dr Hawea said Mr Ravindra-Singh had also asked Mr Leung to be at the police station because Mr Ravindra-Singh wasn’t permitted to be with his client.
Mr Leung confirmed being called by Dr Hawea’s uncle to assist, and that he was later contacted by Mr Ravindra-Singh.
Police spokesman Wame Bautolu said investigations continue.
