Fiji Times Limited, Fiji Times Publisher Hank Arts, Editor-in-chief Fred Wesley, Editor Nai Lalakai Anare Ravula and Letter writer to the Nai Lalakai Josaia Waqabaca are all charged with a count each of sedition.

Judge Justice Thushara Rajasinghe has refused to accept documents filed by the state as there are no provisions to file those types of documents.

State counsel Yogesh Prasad had filed and served the particulars yesterday at the Suva High Court.

Justice Rajasinghe informed the state that the particulars for Arts, Wesley, Ravula and Fiji Times Limited were incomplete and that there needed to be a proper statement of offence.

It is alleged that Waqabaca between April 20 and April 27, 2016 at Suva, wrote and submitted an article for publication in the Nai Lalakai newspaper and in the article made a statement with a seditious intention to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different classes of the population of Fiji.

It is alleged that Ravula on April 27, 2016 in his capacity as the editor of the Nai Lalakai newspaper did aid and abet, Hank Arts to publish an article which contained a statement which was a seditious publication.

It is alleged that Wesley on April 27, 2016 in his capacity as the editor-in-chief of the Nai Lalakai newspaper did aid and abet Hank Arts to publish an article which contained a statement which was a seditious publication.

It is alleged that Arts on April 27, 2016 in his capacity as the publisher of the Nai Lalakai newspaper published an article which contained a statement which was a seditious publication.

It is alleged that Fiji Times Limited on April 27, 2016 printed the Nai Lalakai newspaper which contained an article which contained a statement which was a seditious publication.

Arts, Wesley, and Fiji Times Limited are represented by Faizal Haniff, Ravula is represented by Devanesh Sharma and Waqabaca is represented by Aman Ravindra-Singh.

The case has been adjourned to October 3, for mention.

Edited by Mohammed Ali

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