SUVA, Fiji — On November 8th a statement on Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) letterhead made its way to a number of Fiji media outlets.  The statement said that assistant commissioner of police, Nasir Ali, had threatened the director of public prosecutions, Josaia Naigulevu, and his assistant Asishna Prasad with arrest and criminal charges for perverting the course of justice.  The statement said that the DPP “takes such threats very seriously” and cautioned the police not to overstep its bounds.  It also said that “The office of the DPP maintains that we will jealously guard our independence and that we will do so without fear or favour.”

Esala Teleni, the Fiji Police Commissioner, immediately denied that any threats had been made to the DPP.

Later the same afternoon another, conflicting report, not on DPP letterhead, from Josaia Naigulevu denied that the original statement had been authorized by the DPP. Teleni also indicated that he had meet with Naigulevu and that relations between the two organizations were fine.

An internal DPP investigation was begun today to determine the source of the confusion and to discover who generated and released the first statement.

For more information, please see:
Fijilive — Confusion over DPP statements — 09 November 2007

Fiji Times — Probe on for writer — 10 November 2007

Radio New Zealand International — Fiji’s DPP denies police made threats — 09 November 2007

Fijilive — Police chief surprised at DPP statements — 09 November 2007

Radio New Zealand International — Polce accused of threatening DPP — 08 November 2007