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The Fiji military denies having worked with a New Zealand-based spy agency to raid the New Zealand home of a former Fiji government minister. A New Zealand opposition MP, Winston Peters, claims the SIS spied on Rajesh Singh and the Fiji regime knew about it. He says the commander of the Fiji Land Forces, Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga, texted Mr Singh to warn him that he was about to be raided by the SIS.
But Col Tikoitoga says he never sent any text messages, and only heard about the raid after it happened. He says a search of Mr Singh's phone records will show there was no communication from him. He has told Auckland's Radio Tarana that there is no information sharing between the Fiji military and the SIS. "There is no information that we requested. It only makes sense. The New Zealand authorities were not talking to Fiji about the Fiji military in particular. Why would they now think that we work together? They've never worked with us. In fact, they don't recognise us." Source: Radio New Zealand International.
And speaking to Fijilive, Tikoitoga described the allegation as a “blatant lie” and said authorities in New Zealand should come out clean before making such accusations. “At no point in time did I contact Rajesh in New Zealand and the authorities should conduct a thorough investigation to prove this claim. They should track down his entire mobile and telephone record to see things for themselves. This is completely a lie and I totally deny this."
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has accused Peters of "grandstanding in Parliament". "Mr Peters is completely and utterly wrong as per normal. He's adding one and one together and getting 173. If he thinks he's got something other than just grandstanding in Parliament ... and making errors." Calling it a "Winston Peters special" he said Peters could have taken the claims to the police or inspector-general of the SIS.
But Col Tikoitoga says he never sent any text messages, and only heard about the raid after it happened. He says a search of Mr Singh's phone records will show there was no communication from him. He has told Auckland's Radio Tarana that there is no information sharing between the Fiji military and the SIS. "There is no information that we requested. It only makes sense. The New Zealand authorities were not talking to Fiji about the Fiji military in particular. Why would they now think that we work together? They've never worked with us. In fact, they don't recognise us." Source: Radio New Zealand International.
And speaking to Fijilive, Tikoitoga described the allegation as a “blatant lie” and said authorities in New Zealand should come out clean before making such accusations. “At no point in time did I contact Rajesh in New Zealand and the authorities should conduct a thorough investigation to prove this claim. They should track down his entire mobile and telephone record to see things for themselves. This is completely a lie and I totally deny this."
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has accused Peters of "grandstanding in Parliament". "Mr Peters is completely and utterly wrong as per normal. He's adding one and one together and getting 173. If he thinks he's got something other than just grandstanding in Parliament ... and making errors." Calling it a "Winston Peters special" he said Peters could have taken the claims to the police or inspector-general of the SIS.
