Former Commissioner Central Inoke Devo has given his account of how he was taken to a basement store room at the FICAC Office in Suva, allegedly threatened and intimidated to answer questions and not told that he was under arrest until several hours later.

Devo took the stand today to give sworn testimony in the abuse of office and official corruption case in the Suva high court as Counsel Rajendra Chaudhry opened the defense case this morning.
 
Devo recalled that in late September 2006, FICAC officers came to his house with a search warrant saying they wanted to search his house in relation to an ongoing investigation.

He said the FICAC searched the premises and left empty handed.

He told the court that on October 1st, 2006 , FICAC officers took him to their office in Suva and he was taken to a store room in the basement of the building where four officers were present.

Devo said he thought they were only after some information relating to the ongoing investigation and one of the Officers named Ali was taking notes on a computer.

He said after a while, the officers turned hostile in their questioning and he was allegedly threatened by Ali to answer questions which he could not recall and the officers started talking in loud tones.

He said he was never told that he was under arrest until he requested one of the officers to suspend the interview as he wanted to go home and prepare for a gathering.

Devo said he was then told that he would be kept in custody overnight and presented in court the next morning and that the only time his rights were read to him was when the interview had started.
 
Devo told the court that he felt insecure and feared for his life as he suffered from high blood pressure and had to take medication on a daily basis.

Devo also told the court that he did not eat breakfast the next morning at CPS as he was not feeling well as he was not given his blood pressure tablets.
 
Devo also outlined the functions of the Central Liquor Tribunal and stressed that no single member can ever make a decision on whether to approve or reject and application.

Meanwhile, while addressing the assessors, Rajendra Chaudhry the entire case rests on the question on whether government departments and statutory bodies can ask for donations Christmas functions.

Chaudhry said it is well known that during Christmas and in the spirit of giving, it has become tradition that donations are made by various institutes and companies and it is not something for gain but simply the Christmas spirit.

He said he will show that his client is not guilty of the charges laid against him.