 Madigan "You will be aware, that the thrust of the prosecution case comes from the evidence of Lieutenant Colonel Manasa Tagicakibau who at all relevant times was based at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks and was of the rank of Major in charge of the Logistical Support Unit ("LSU") . I mean no disrespect to the officer or his rank but in this summing up I will refer to him as Manasa. The defendant, Pita Driti was then his superior and held the very high rank of Brigadier General and was in 2010 Commander of Land Forces. Manasa had in 2010 been in the Forces for some 20 years. In those 20 years he had known Mr. Driti , serving with him in Lebanon: they were known to each other both professionally and personally. In 2010 Manasa had been away on a year's study leave and he returned to take up his previous posting as OC Logistics, but he was unhappy because most of the duties and responsibilities of the post had been assumed in his absence by the then Chief of Staff, Ratu Mara. Manasa spoke to Mara twice about it but there was no result so in early February 2010 Manasa went to see the defendant who was one of the most senior officers as Commander Land Forces and therefore everybody's superior. He wasn't helped there either but told to just accept the "status quo" and put up with it. Manasa the witness was concerned because Chief of Staff Mara was holding three important posts: he was Chief of Staff, Land Forces Command (that is deputy to the Brigadier General). He was Commanding Officer 3 F.I.R. (an operational unit of about 500 people). he was effectively the OC Logistics handling all resources of the Force (which was in effect PW1's job). Manasa thought that this was a highly unusual situation and he presumed that there were underlying currents happening that he was not aware of; because of the great position of power that Mara had arrogated to himself. [19] PW1 Manasa then took it upon himself to use his own little private intelligence cell because he was disturbed and a little suspicious of what was going on. The members of his intelligence gathering cell were tasked to listen and observe within the military, outside in the public sphere and in the markets to find information that might contradict anything that the RFMF stands for. Over time intelligence started rolling in reaching a crescendo about the end of February 2010. This information concerned the disaffected utterances of Ratu Mara, and the undocumented movement of arms and ammunition between Q.E. Barracks and the G.P. Hotel, which was the temporary residence of part of the 3FIR troops. The intelligence gathered was relayed through intermediaries to Commander Land Forces (Driti) and to the Commander RFMF, the P.M. Manasa was told that the intelligence had been passed on and had been received. He was very concerned that there was no feed back from the intelligence passed on. As a precaution he made sure that the main armoury was following proper security regulations with regard to the moment [amount] of weapons. In April 2010 it was confirmed that all weapons were safe and accounted for but the members of the cell group reported that their military sources had "dried up." PW Manasa asked his cell group members to keep a low profile and to try and get close to to the Chief of Staff and try to learn his state of mind. In April/May 2010 Manasa learned on some occasions talking to Chief of Staff Mara over a cup of tea that he was still voicing discontent with the Government. On those occasions other officers would be present and on one or two occasions the defendant Driti himself was present. Remarks such as: we hope the Government will take us out of these economic doldrums were made. The defendant would say nothing but just laugh it off. [20] In July 2010 Manasa went to South Korea with Chief of Staff Mara for a one week buying trip for the Army. Manasa's impression of Mara during the trip was that he was dissatisfied and discontented with the Government in Fiji. In particular he was of the view that the Government should stand down. Manasa advised him that the best course of action would be to have dialogue with the Commander (P.M.) but Mara did not agree with his advice. They returned from Korea in July 2010 and at the end of that month, Ratu Mara was told to go on leave and use all his leave before a decision would be made on his future. Manasa didn't speak to anybody about the conversations that he and Ratu Mara had in Korea but he noted that in the two weeks between returning and Ratu Mara going on leave the intelligence was streaming in of Mara's utterances. When Mara went on leave Manasa got his full job back as officer in charge of Logistics...He (Driti) said that the allegations from the Major came from somebody who was "striving for promotion", and acting in his own interests,; and you will note that this allegation was never put to the Major in cross-examination." Justice Paul Madigan in his Summing Up. |  JUDAS? Manasa Tagicakibau - consumed with bitterness and turned key star State witness against Pita Driti?  Ratu Ului Mara had lions share of responsibilities over Manasa Tagicakibau  Manasa Tagicakibau hated living in Driti's shadow   Manasa Tagicakibau says Mara foul-mouthed regime on trip to South Korea in 2010  On way to be locked up until December 10 for sentencing - on evidence of sole disgruntled prosecution witness Manasa Tagicakibau |
Note from Fijileaks Editor:
Pita Driti was unhappy with Aiyaz Khaiyum and Frank Bainimarama and so was Mohammed Aziz but they couldn't talk to each other about it. They always brought this up when Ratu Ului Mara met them separately so he (Ratu Ului) told them individually to go and talk to each other, which they did and the rest is history now.
About the weapons at GPH, there was a Company strength of 120 men at GPH at any one time so they had their personal weapons with them all the time. Unaccounted weapons from where? Only weapons left in Fiji now are at QEB.
So this is the same scenario that Bainimarama was going through in 2004-2006 before he decided to overthrow the legal Qarase government because they were going to charge him for the same charges that Driti faced and has now been convicted and locked away, waiting sentencing on 10 December.
Pita Driti was unhappy with Aiyaz Khaiyum and Frank Bainimarama and so was Mohammed Aziz but they couldn't talk to each other about it. They always brought this up when Ratu Ului Mara met them separately so he (Ratu Ului) told them individually to go and talk to each other, which they did and the rest is history now.
About the weapons at GPH, there was a Company strength of 120 men at GPH at any one time so they had their personal weapons with them all the time. Unaccounted weapons from where? Only weapons left in Fiji now are at QEB.
So this is the same scenario that Bainimarama was going through in 2004-2006 before he decided to overthrow the legal Qarase government because they were going to charge him for the same charges that Driti faced and has now been convicted and locked away, waiting sentencing on 10 December.
Bainimarama: "Dou cakava vakatotolo na plan de dou qai kidacala au sa liu sobu i ra." ("You people carry out the plan quickly, or I'll surprise you by doing it ahead of you".)
Pita Driti: "Io, vinaka me caka ni sa rui levu na butako." ("Yes, good do it as there is too much stealing (corruption)".
Fugitive still on the run from sedition and murder charges!
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