By David Gold
November 15 – The Fiji Times is being sued by the country’s military regime for publishing a story which claimed that FIFA was investigating a sports official in the country.
The Sunday Star Times reported in New Zealand that world football’s governing body would look into the affairs of the deputy chairman of the Fiji Disciplinary Committee and treasurer of the Oceania Football Confederation, Dr Muhammad Samu Khan, and that it was waiting for details.
The former lawyer has been struck off by the Independent Legal Services Commission, and FIFA statutes require senior Disciplinary Committee members to possess legal credentials.
Fiji Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum said that the article reprinted by the Fiji Times questioned the existence of a judiciary in the country, and said that this could undermine public confidence in the justice system.
“It is my responsibility to protect the independence of the courts, as the Fijian Government adheres to the separation of powers, and promotes, in principle and in practice, the independence of the judiciary,” he said.
“This ensures, inter alia, that the law is applied to all persons equally.”
The Fiji Times has a history with their regime, having been fined F$100,000 in 2008, and the former News Corporation publication was sold by the company’s owner Rupert Murdoch as a result of the pressure placed on it.
FIFA confirmed to insideworldfootball that it is currently reviewing all members of standing committees and will be looking at Samu Khan’s case when all available evidence has been gathered.
The dispute will be heard at the end of the month in Fiji’s High Court.
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