FOUR ministers in the previous Qarase Cabinet were listed by police as suspects in the alleged abuse of the multi-million dollar farming assistance scheme.

Inspector Nasir Ali who led the initial police team investigating the case told the High Court that the ministers were Education minister Ro Teimumu Kepa, Home Affairs minister Joketani Cokanasiga, Tourism minister Konisi Yabaki and assistant agriculture minister Marieta Rigamoto.

Inspector Ali said he did not get the chance to interview all the public office holders implicated because he was taken off the case.

He made the statements during re-examination by the Director of Public Prosecutions lawyer Daniel Goundar yesterday.

IP Ali said Mr Cokanasiga was considered a suspect because of the contents of his letter to Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase on August 8, 2001.

IP Ali said by the time he saw the letter, Mr Cokanasiga had become the home affairs minister.

He said by that time investigations had started and there was a need for Mr Cokanasiga to be interviewed under caution. He said the letter could have been written before the elections, judging from its contents, but was unsure when the exact dates of the elections were.

He said Ms Rigamoto was also a suspect and was being interviewed under caution by him. However, he was unclear if he completed the interview.

IP Ali said she was a suspect because of her involvement in the Affirmative Action scheme and on certain occasions even made comments for the permanent secretary on request letters. The court heard that Peniasi Kunatuba mentioned her in his caution interview. He agreed that by the time the letter was written the 2001 general election was over. He also recalled that a writ of summons was filed by the accused at that stage.

The court heard that Mr Yabaki was also a suspect and that there was a need to interview him as well under caution. But IP Ali was unable to do that.

With regard to Ro Teimumu's letter dated May 17, 2001, IP Ali said she was also considered a suspect on the earlier grounds he had covered with the ministers and also needed to have been interviewed under caution.

He said the letter was written before the elections.

When questioned by Mr Goundar on what basis he treated Mr Kunatuba as a suspect, IP Ali said the audit report and documents they seized clearly indicated there was a need for the accused to be interviewed under caution.

He said there was a conspiracy between the accused and other people implicated and that was the reason he alleged that there was a conspiracy. He said there was no evidence to suggest the farming assistance scheme was an approved one.

IP Ali said in the early stages Mr Kunatuba denied it was a political scheme but later admitted it.

He said based on the audit report, the Auditor-General referred the matter to the Police Commissioner and that was how investigations started.

The trial continues today.

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