Prosecution Queens Counsel in the Pita Driti trial, Audrey Campbell-Moffat questioned Driti a number of times today why he did not stop Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara from talking about plans to overthrow the government in 2010.
Moffat put to Driti that he was the Land Force Commander who was in charge of about 80% of the RFMF operations and should have reported to Army Commander, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama about the plans being discussed by Mara as Mara was Driti’s Chief Of Staff.
Driti said he did not want to bring it up as he believed that it was a set up being planned by Brigadier General Mohammed Aziz.
Driti was then asked about Ratu Tevita Mara visiting Driti’s house and telling him about the plan.
Driti said they were not plans but options.
Driti revealed that Ratu Tevita Mara was already on leave for making comments against the government.
Moffat asked Driti why he was meeting Mara if he knew that he was already trying to overthrow the government and was sent on leave.
Driti said Moffat needs to understand the system and he could not just chase Mara.
Pita Driti told the prosecution that Ratu Tevita Mara told him that he was sent by Brigadier General Mohammed Aziz.
Driti said Mara came to him because only Driti and Mara were speaking against the Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum in military council meetings.
He said they were also told that they were serving their own interests.
Driti confirmed that Mara told him that the plan was to cancel Commodore Bainimarama’s passport with the Immigration Department when he went to Sudan in 2010 and not allow him back into Fiji and get the foreign troops from Australia and New Zealand to assist them.
Driti said he did not know what would happen next.
However, Moffat asked how then did Lieutenant Colonel Manasa Tagicakibau know about the whole plan as he was only told by Driti in a meeting.
Driti said he never told Tagicakibau.
Tagicakibau earlier revealed in court that Driti had told him that the Commander would be exiled, troops would be called in from Australia and NZ, they would visit the President to dissolve the government and appoint an interim administration with SDL and send the Bainimarama family to another country.
Driti also said he was in control and his allegiance was with the Commander of the RFMF.
Driti said he had called Aziz.
In their discussions in September 2010, Driti said Aziz allegedly told him that the Sudan plan was unworkable and will not take place.
He said these were not discussed after that.
However, Moffat raised with Driti why Driti raised the issue about the plan with Lieutenant Colonel Tagicakibau in their meeting in October.
Driti said he did not do that.
Story by: Vijay Narayan
