Terrorist's lawyer charged

Issue No: 851; 14 June 2001

 
Terrorist George Speight's lawyer Navin Naidu has been charged with 3 criminal counts and will be appearing in Suva Magistrate's Court today.

Naidu is charged with perverting the cause of justice, tendering forged documents, and making false statements on oath. He was arrested on Tuesday evening and held in custody at the Lautoka police station on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. This morning he was transferred to Suva under police guard. Naidu was arrested after police was tipped that he was trying to escape from the country with the help of relatives of terrorists.

It is expected that terrorist Tevita Bukarau will also be charged with aiding and abetting Naidu.

Bukarau was released from Nukulau detention and treason charges dropped in a deal made between the Police Commissioner Isikia Savua and the Chief Justice Sir Timoci Tuivaga. Tuivaga's brother is a Savua loyalist while Bukarau is Tuivaga's nephew. Tuivaga headed the inquiry which cleared Savua of links with terrorists. Bukarau was hired by the Native Lands Trust Board as soon as he was released. Some senior NLTB officers, including its Manager Maika Qarikau and Secretary Niko Nawaikula, are also closely linked to the terrorists.

 

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