A blogger wrote the following comment. HnC believes it raises some very serious questions that need some very serious answers.
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT VEREBASAGA
It seems some are more equal than others.
Colonel Aziz said the military would only cooperate with police if a formal correspondence accompanied with relevant documents are made to the military.
‘WE HAVE MILITARY LAWS THAT GOVERN US AND WE CANNOT JUST HAND IN SOMEONE JUST FROM READING MEDIA REPORTS. IT DOESNT WORK THAT WAY. WE ALSO HAVE PROTOCOLS TO OBSERVE, LIKE THE PRESENCE OF A LAWYER.”
(see http://www.fijitimes.com.fj/story.aspx?id=65493)
Well the rights not given to Nimilote Verebasaga are apparently now being extended to those alleged to have killed him! … and now this:
“THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DEPARTMENT MAY HANDOVER THE MURDER CASE FOR NAKELO VILLAGER NIMILOTE VEREBASAGA TO MILITARY AT A LATER STAGE.
This has been revealed by Assistant Police Commissioner Crime Jese Marovia.
According to Marovia, the alleged incident happened while the suspect who is a Private, was in military uniform and the military is expected to take further disciplinary action against him.
Marovia has refused to reveal why there is a delay in laying charges.
He said police are expected to lay charges and produce the suspect in court by early next week.The Private was questioned and released earlier this week.
When contacted earlier today, Acting Police Commissioner Romanu Tikotikoca said he is unaware of the progress on the investigations and referred all queries to the Police Public Relations team.”
(see http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_39301.shtml)
Can we know more about this?
How come only one soldier is being charged?
Is it on the basis that he is the one that struck the fatal blow?
Was it only one blow?
Who else was there?
How long did it take?
Was no one supervising?
What military protocols are there for the questioning (if any) of a detained civilian?
Who was the supervising officer?
Under what authority was Verebasaga taken into custody?
Where did the ‘questioning’ take place?
Who else from the military went to pickup Verebasaga from his village?
How come this lone Private was allowed to be alone with Verebasaga (if so)?
Who is responsible for ensuring that such killings don’t take place in military custody?
If there is a court martial, will the public find out all these and more details?
What are the rules of engagement with civilians?
Who gave the go-ahead for the soldiers to detain, question, assault, torture Verebasaga?
Who in the RMRF mangement or higher brass will take responsibility for not supervising the private and those who detained him?
Where does the buck stop in military?
In Government if a civil servant commits a serious offence that affects the public, his supervisors, his ministry’s CEO and indeed the Minister responsible is taken to task - that is what the Agriculture Scam was all about - accountability!
THE PEOPLE OF FIJI WANT TO KNOW. EVEN MORE, THE WIFE AND CHILDREN AND RELATIVES OF VEREBASAGA WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THEIR HUSBAND AND FATHER/BROTHER/COUSIN/SON/NEPHEW NIMILOTE VEREBASAGA.
HnC thanks the blogger called “Different Strokes for Different Folks” for the above article (which is slightly edited - my apologies to this blogger).
The answers and arrogant attitude of the RFMF, especially the Head of the Military Legal Section Colonel Mohammed Aziz, will only serve to inflame the ”hearts and minds” of the ordinary people of Fiji and harden their resolve to see to it that at the end of all this… the people in the military who have committed these dispicable acts of cowardice pay - AND PAY DEARLY.
The answers given by Col Aziz have raised more questions that deserve more answers.
The family of Nimilote Verebasaga deserve it and so the people of Fiji.
….In Memory of Nimilote Verebasaga
