The Interim Minister for Defense and Immigration Ratu Epeli Ganilau confirms that they approved the deportation of Fiji Sun Publisher and Managing Director Russel Hunter upon information provided by the Immigration Department.
Speaking to Village News, Ratu Epeli said there was sufficient information provided to enable them to make a decision. He stresses that the Immigration Department followed proper procedures in obtaining the deportation order.
However, Ratu Epeli admitted that he was not aware that immigration officers were executing the order at 8:30 last night.
In an exclusive interview with Village News, Immigration Director Commander Viliame Naupoto said the Immigration Department acted on the credible information provided about Hunter and this culminated with his deportation this morning.
Naupoto said Hunter was advised at 8:30 last night that he would be deported to Australia.
When Village News questioned Naupoto about the credible information that they received about Hunter and whether it was a threat to the peace, defense, public safety and public order of Fiji, the Immigration Director said they did not just take the action for no reason.
Commander Naupoto confirms that following their investigations, they referred the matter to the Permanent Secretary for the Defense and Immigration Malakai Tadulala and Interim Minister Ratu Epeli Ganilau, and it was approved that Russel Hunter as a consequence of his actions is a Prohibited Immigrant and is to be removed from Fiji.
Naupoto said Hunter is now declared a Prohibited Immigrant and will not be allowed to re-enter Fiji.
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that an application for a court order to stop the deportation of Russel Hunter from leaving the country was made late last night.
The Civil High Court Registry confirms that Hunter's counsel Suruj Prasad Sharma filed an application for an order for injunction at 8.30pm at the High Court to try and restrain the Director of Immigration and his officers from removing or deporting Hunter from Fiji.
However, the Registry said by the time the order was faxed over to Nadi, the flight had left for Sydney at 9 this morning.
Meanwhile, a senior official at the Suva Registry confirms the court order was submitted in late by Hunter's lawyer and could not be processed in time.
We Approved Deportation Order
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