Lawyer Seforan Fatiaki has alleged that the arrest and detention of citizen publisher Charlie Charters by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) was carried out for the sole purpose of extracting information from him, rather than pursuing a genuine criminal investigation.
In a formal submission to FICAC today, Fatiaki said his client has been advised that he is under suspicion of aiding and abetting a FICAC officer in unlawfully disclosing official information.
However, he noted that FICAC has not identified the officer Mr Charters is alleged to have aided — and, he claims, does not know who that officer is.
Fatiaki further alleged that senior FICAC investigator Mosese Matanisiga told Charters on at least three occasions — in the presence of witnesses including his wife and two lawyers — that he would be released and would not face further investigation if he disclosed the source of his information.
“It was made clear that Mr Charters’ arrest and detention were carried out for the sole purpose of extracting that information from him,” Fatiaki said.
He argued that FICAC’s conduct demonstrates its primary interest in Charters is not as a suspect, but as a source of information for another investigation.
“If Mr Charters will not volunteer that information, FICAC cannot lawfully use its powers of detention and arrest to pressure him into giving it,” he said.
Fatiaki described the actions as a gross misuse of FICAC’s statutory powers, particularly the prohibition on departure from Fiji, warning that such conduct undermines due process and the rule of law.
