Fiji police detained the leader of the People’s Alliance Party, Sitiveni Rabuka, last night and questioned him about his activities during this week as the Fijian Elections Office continues with the official vote count of the contested 2022 poll results.
After two hours of police questioning, Rabuka was released without charge.
He urged his supporters to “remain calm” as he drove away from the Criminal Investigations premises at Toorak in Suva.
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Rabuka was summoned along with his party general secretary, Sakiasi Ditoka. around 8pm local time and interrogated at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in Toorak for about two hours before they were both released without being charged.
His arrest comes following comments he made this week calling for a military intervention in the country’s election.
Police also took in the head of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma, Reverend Ili Vunisuwai, for questioning at the Valelevu police station in Nasinu.
Church leader detained
Asked if he had anticipated being summoned by the police, he replied “I don’t want to answer that question” as his vehicle drove away.
Police also took in the head of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma, Reverend Ili Vunisuwai, for questioning at the Valelevu police station in Nasinu.
Vunisiwai had sent a letter on behalf of the Methodist Church to the Fiji President on Thursday expressing concern about the counting of the votes and inconsistencies in the electronic results management app and included the military commander and police chief in the communication.
Rabuka released after being questioned by the CID and still smiling.
Q: Do you fear anything?
Rabuka: NO. #FijiVotes2022 pic.twitter.com/LuuBEzfeR5
— Kelvin Anthony (@kelvinfiji) December 16, 2022
Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho has also confirmed to local media they were investigating two candidates from We Unite Fiji party for “allegedly calling for a mass gathering to protest election process” outside the main counting centre in Suva.
RNZ Pacific has contacted Fiji police for comment.
Tight race as official vote count continues
As of 3am Saturday local time in Fiji, Rabuka’s People’s Alliance Party were running a close second to the incumbent Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama’s FijiFirst.
With votes from 717 of 2071 polling stations officially validated, FijiFirst were sitting on 40.2 percent of votes counted so far and the People’s Alliance Party were at 36.9 percent.
In third place was the National Federation Party on 8.1 percent followed by the Social Democratic Liberal Party (5.9 percent) only slightly above the 5 percent threshold required to make it into Parliament.
The Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem, has said their aim is to complete the official count by Sunday afternoon.
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
