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Peter Ridgeway

Summary

Peter Ridgway is an Australian prosecutor and a former Deputy Director of Prosecutions in Fiji who was expelled from the country by the Qarase government in 2005.[1]

As Deputy Director of Prosecutions Ridgeway was responsible for investigating alleged links between members of the government and the 2000 Fijian coup d'état.[2] He strongly criticized the government's early release of coup convicts,[3] and the Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill which he interpreted as a legal mechanism for pardoning individuals convicted of participating in the coup.

Ridgeway's contract expired in May 2005 and was not renewed.[4] Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase subsequently blocked a move to reinstate him,[5][6] and in June 2005 he was expelled from Fiji on 24 hours notice.[7][8] Ridgeway subsequently accused the government of interfering with the course of justice by intervening in a number of coup-related trials.

On 31 December 2006, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, who had deposed Qarase in a military coup on 5 December, invited Ridgway to return to Fiji to restart his investigations into the 2000 coup.[9] In February 2007 he returned to Fiji to work for the military regime.[10]

References edit

  1. ^ "Fiji PM stops Australian prosecutor's return". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. AAP. 20 June 2005. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  2. ^ "Fiji's Information Minister facing coup related charges". RNZ. 2 December 2004. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  3. ^ "Fiji public prosecutor baffled by coup convict release". RNZ. 21 January 2005. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  4. ^ "Fiji PM stops Australian prosecutor's return". ABC News. 20 June 2005. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Fiji PM blocks return of Aust coup prosecutor". ABC News. 21 June 2005 – via EBSCOHost.
  6. ^ "Counsel's recall vetoed". Papua new Guinea Post-Courier. 21 June 2005. p. 12 – via EBSCOHost.
  7. ^ "Fijian PM forces lawyer out". Brisbane Courier-Mail. 22 June 2005. p. 10 – via EBSCOHost.
  8. ^ "State kicks lawyer out". Fiji Times. 18 June 2005. p. 3 – via EBSCOHost.
  9. ^ "Fiji military appeals for help in anti-corruption drive". RNZ. 9 January 2007. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  10. ^ "Former prosecutor back in Fiji after being ordered out by former Qarase government". RNZ. 23 February 2007. Retrieved 13 March 2023.