On what legal basis is Charters being detained by FICAC - Naidu

Prominent lawyer, Richard Naidu has questioned on what legal basis could Fijian national, Charlie Charters be detained by FICAC.

Naidu says the FICAC Commissioner has the power to stop the departure of someone FICAC is investigating “in respect of an offence to which the FICAC Act applies”.

He says he can imagine the current powers in FICAC are a bit cross that Charlie Charters has been publishing embarrassing information about them.

But Naidu says FICAC can only prosecute its own people for unlawfully divulging its information (Section 13G of the FICAC Act), not anyone merely receiving that information.

He asks what is there for FICAC to investigate which allows Charlie Charters' detention.

Charters has been arrested by FICAC and is now being brought to Suva.

Charters had earlier contacted us saying that he is being held at immigration at Nadi International Airport because of a FICAC flag on his file.

Charters said he was waiting to be interviewed by the duty supervisor.

Charters, a 57-year-old sports marketing expert, has Fiji and UK citizenship and arrived on Sunday to renew his Fiji passport.

He is scheduled to fly to Sydney on tonight's FJ915 flight.

Charters has written extensively about the family and friends connections between FICAC and the Fiji Sports Council relying on publicly available documents and whistleblower testimony.

We are trying to speak to FICAC and the Immigration Department.

We have sent questions to Acting FICAC Commissioner, Lavi Rokoika, Immigration Minister, Viliame Naupoto and Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka.

Rabuka has told us to ask FICAC as they are independent and act independently.

Stay with us for developments.