Assistant DPP says words in Nai Lalakai article were poisonous

Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Lee Burney says words are supposed to be used for the good but in the wrong hands can be a force of evil, not for love or unity - but for hatred.

That is part of Burney’s opening submission in the sedition trial of Fiji Times Limited and others.

The trial of Fiji Times Limited, Publisher Hank Arts, Fiji Times Editor Fred Wesley, Nai Lalakai Editor Anare Ravula and contributor Josaia Waqabaca is now underway before High Court Judge, Justice Thushara Rajasinghe.

Lee Burney told the three assessors that their judgement will be about whether words in the Nai Lalakai newspaper caused ill will to the Muslim community in Fiji

Burney said the words in the article were poisonous.

He says the Nai Lalakai article referred to Muslims as land grabbing people and rapists. Burney further says that the article did not only label Muslims as rapists but it also told readers that they must take action.

The Assistant DPP says the article was published in the Letters to the Editor but it was not an ordinary letter complaining about potholes.

Burney also says that it was a well crafted journalistic piece and even the writer, Josaia Waqabaca had submitted the original  article to Police which was titled ‘Notice to the Attorney General.’

The DPP’s Office will give their full list of witnesses to take the stand in the case, this afternoon.

Fiji Times Limited, Hank Arts and Josaia Waqabaca have pleaded not guilty to sedition while Fred Wesley and Anare Ravula have pleaded not guilty to aiding and abetting sedition.

It is alleged that Fiji Times, on the 27th of April last year printed the Nai Lalakai newspaper which contained an article which had content with a seditious intention to promote feelings of ill will and hostility between classes of the population.

The first state witness is currently taking the stand.

Permanent Secretary for iTaukei Affairs, Naipote Katonitabua says it was a continuing concern during the ministry’s public relations activities as the iTaukei were asking a lot of questions about iTaukei land and equal citizenry.

Katonitabua says there was a lot of misinformation.

He then went on to say in court that when the ministry team asked the iTaukei people where they heard the misleading information, they said that it was in the Nai Lalakai newspaper.

Katonitabua says when people asked about these issues and they said that it is from Nai Lalakai, it was hard for the ministry team to explain to them that it was only an opinion by the newspaper, and that it is not a fact.

He says the Nai Lalakai newspaper was being handed from one village to another.

Katonitabua was then given a copy of the newspaper. He identified the article and said that there were a few articles before the one in question.

He says he then knew that they needed to intervene.

Katonitabua also says that before he went to Police to file an official report, he called the Fiji Times Editor asking if they need clarification on iTaukei related issues.

The sedition trial of Fiji Times Limited and others continues.