Qarase to be Questioned Again by FICAC

Ousted Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase who was being questioned by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption has been released and will be questioned again tomorrow.FICAC this afternoon confirmed that the questioning has been suspended and Qarase was released and told to come back tomorrow. Qarase was called in for questioning in relation to a new case this morning. Qarase's wife Leba earlier confirmed that the Ousted Prime Minister went to the FICAC headquarters at about 10 o'clock this morning. Speaking to Fijivillage news this afternoon Qarase confirms that allegations against him date back to 2003 in relation to certain regulations made at the time.Meanwhile it has been confirmed that FICAC is now investigating the alleged inappropriate usage of the extinct mataqali funds by the Native Land Trust Board and some ousted government ministers for the purposes of setting up a commercial company.Fijivillage News has established that the extinct mataqali funds totalled about 7 million dollars and it was supposed to benefit the landowners. However the approval was allegedly given to use the extinct mataqali funds to form commercial companies and some of the key NLTB board members also took up positions in the companies formed. Senior Government Officials met with the Australian High Commissioner to Fiji James Batley earlier this afternoon regarding the threat made against him on Wednesday night.However, both parties remain tightlipped on what was discussed at the meeting. When contacted this afternoon Permanent Secretary at the Prime Ministers Office, Pramesh Chand said no statements will be made at this point in time in relation to their meeting.Chand said the matter of the threat against Batley is subject to ongoing investigations and they will not comment on anything else at this stage.The Australian High Commissioner James Batley when contacted also refused to make any comments while the Media Liason Officer at the High Commission Dennis Rounds said no statements will be issued as yet.Meanwhile, Police have beefed up security at all the High Commissions in Suva following the death threat made to Batley on Wednesday night.Media Liaison officer, Atunaisa Sokomuri confirms officers from the Special Branch have been advised to do constant patrolling around all the High Commissions. There are two Police Officers also stationed outside the Australian High Commission. Sokomuri has also revealed that the taxi driver who delivered the letter containing the death threat to Batley was interviewed and released yesterday afternoon, however the person who gave him the letter is yet to be identified.