The first prosecution witness in the sedition trial of The Fiji Times Limited and others has told Fiji Times contributor, Josaia Waqabaca’s lawyer, Aman Ravindra Singh that he does not agree with Singh’s comment that there is nowhere in the Nai Lalakai article that states that one must hate Muslims.
The trial of Fiji Times Limited, Publisher Hank Arts, Fiji Times Editor Fred Wesley, Nai Lalakai Editor Anare Ravula and contributor Josaia Waqabaca has started before High Court Judge, Justice Thushara Rajasinghe.
Permanent Secretary for iTaukei Affairs, Naipote Katonitabua who is the first to take the witness stand also disagreed with Aman Ravindra Singh when Singh put to Katonitabua that nowhere in the Nai Lalakai article does it conflict with one religion with the other.
Anare Ravula’s lawyer, Devanesh Sharma also asked Katonitabua if the article had in any way termed Muslims as land grabbing monsters.
Katonitabua then referred to the article in the Nai Lalakai, which when translated had said that “ ..let us not forget that Serua and other provinces cover 14 provinces in Fiji which have been taken away from us. This is what we will experience and it will be experienced by our children if we continue to be neglectful.”
Aman Ravindra Singh also asked Katonitabua if his line Minister directed him to take action and report the Nai Lalakai issue to Police. Katonitabua said that he took it upon himself as the Permanent Secretary for iTaukei Affairs since there was no clarification by The Fiji Times.
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.
Arts and Wesley’s lawyer, Wylie Clarke will cross-examine Katonitabua today.
