In the case of deported Fiji Sun publisher and editor-in-chief Russell Hunter, Fiji Sun's own IT expert had hacked into Hunter's company e-mail account and passed e-mail exchanges between the paper's publisher and Victor Lal regarding Mahendra Chaudhry's tax affair to Bainimarama/Khaiyum regime, leading to Hunter's kidnapping from his home, night in military custody and deportation out of Fiji the next day, and slapped with a banning order not to enter Fiji as long as this thuggish and dictatorial regime remains in power
Russell Hunter: "My abduction – for that’s what it was – began at about 8.30pm with the arrival of two men who said they were from the Fiji Immigration Department. One, an ethnic Fijian, was jovial, even friendly, while the other, an Indo-Fijian, was silent.He said he just needed to see my passport, just to sort out an administrative matter. I showed it to him and he then said: “I also have some news.” He showed me a green form allegedly signed by the Permanent Secretary for Immigration, Malakai Tadulala, giving me seven days to leave the country. This man wanted me to come to his office where we would “complete the formalities”. I asked which formalities these might be but he replied that he would explain at the office. He wanted me to sign a document but I declined to do so. I asked if I was under arrest and he said I was not. I pointed out that the form gave me seven days to leave. He said I was to go with him right away. I then called the company lawyer and asked for advice. As soon as I called, four men who were almost certainly soldiers out of uniform came through the gate and started telling me to “get moving now”.The twin cab at the gate was driven by another large military-looking man who was particularly agitated. He told me to “Get in the car right now” and “Don’t waste our time”.While still on the phone to the lawyer, another soldier took me by the arm and began to move me, but not aggressively, towards the twin cab. I told the lawyer I was being arrested and though they said they were taking me to their office, I had no idea where I was being taken.He told me to ask for their names, which I did. They refused to identify themselves.My partner, Martha, and our 13-year-old daughter were watching all this and the looks of horror on their faces when I got into the twin cab, quickly followed by the soldiers, will stay with me as long as I live..."
Fiji Sun's new editorial management and Hunter's successors change SIDES and reduce journalism and the paper to laughing stock of nation!
With Fiji Sun's West Editor Jyoti Pratibha given free reign to attack Victor Lal; also on banned list of persons from entering Fiji after the tax story!
