Chief, Church Ministers charged

The Marama Na Roko Tui Dreketi Ro Teimumu Kepa, Methodist Church President Reverend Ame Tugaue and Church General Secretary Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu appeared in court in the last hour charged with defying the Public Emergency Regulation.

Firstly, Reverends Tugaue and Waqairatu appeared before Suva Magistrate Eparama Rokoika for breaching the permit conditions of the Church Standing Committee meeting last Friday.

No plea was taken and Director of Public Prosecutions John Rabuku asked for more time for full disclosure as police are still gathering evidence.
 
Magistrate Rokoika has directed that the disclosure should be made within 21 days.

Rabuku also requested for certain bail conditions to be set for Reverends Tugaue and Waqairatu which were agreed to by the Magistrate.

He said no offence should be committed within the 21 day period to safeguard public interest as we are living in trying times.

Reverends Tugaue and Waqairatu have also been ordered to surrender all their travel documents by 9am tomorrow.

Magistrate Rokoika has also told the two Church executives not to hold any meeting without a permit.

He further stated that Reverends Manasa Lasaro and Tomasi Kanailagi should not be included in any meeting of the Standing Committee or Think Tank of the church.

Their lawyer Aseri Vakaloloma asked if the two can still be included because they are part of the Church Think Tank.

Magistrate Rokoika said according to the permit condition and PER, they should be excluded from the church meeting.

He then said that if the bail conditions are breached then the two will be remanded in custody.

Ro Teimumu Kepa's charge is in relation to a statement she published about the Methodist Church Conference to go ahead.

The court heard that her letter was published on the internet.

Magistrate Rokoika has given 21 days for disclosure.

He also set the bail condition that Ro Teimumu should not tell the people of Rewa and those she has traditional ties with that the Church Conference will go ahead.

Ro Teimumu has also been ordered to surrender all her travel documents by 9am tomorrow.

The Magistrate has released them on bail, adjourned both cases to the 13th of August and said that if any of them breach their bail conditions, then they will be remanded in custody.

Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has called on the people of Fiji to understand that the Public Emergency Regulation is currently in place.

Commodore Bainimarama said anyone who breaches the regulation will be arrested and charged, and will appear in court.

The Prime Minister stressed that people should not be misled that the Methodist Church Conference will go ahead this year, as the government and military have made it clear that no permit will be issued for the meet.