Fiji Times Editor-in-Chief, Fred Wesley says he would have referred the Nai Lalakai letter to their lawyers to get a decision on what to run and what not to run based on the Code of Ethics.
Wesley made this comment after he was questioned by Assistant DPP Lee Burney on whether Josaia Waqabaca’s letter which was published in the Nai Lalakai, complies with the Media Code of Ethics.
Wesley first said that he did not see the letter but later said that he would have referred it to their lawyers after Burney asked him what he would have done now that he has seen the letter.
He said that anything to do with ethnicity, religion and so fourth needs thinking.
Wesley said as editors they are expected to understand the Code of Ethics and each publication needs an editor.
Wesley also said that Anare Ravula edited the Nai Lalakai on April 27th, 2016.
He also said that Wesley may have had a chat with Hank Arts on the risk of publishing letters from the public.
When Burney asked him on whether he is familiar with The Fiji Times Publisher Hank Arts’ contractual terms, Wesley said that he did not know.
While giving his evidence in chief, Fred Wesley said he did not receive the letter written by Josaia Waqabaca that was published in the Nai Lalakai newspaper.
Wesley also told his lawyer Marc Corlette that he did not see the letter, he had no knowledge of the letter and he did not authorise the letter to be published.
Corlette said that in fact, Fred Wesley did nothing.
Wesley told Corlette that he first knew about the letter some weeks afterwards when he was interviewed by Police.
While opening the case, Corlette asked the court how can someone be guilty if they have done nothing.
Corlette said that Police did not do any investigation about who authorised the letter.
He said that all they did was arrest three people and say that someone must have done it.
The lawyer for Wesley and Arts said that there are 4 newspapers at the Fiji Times and each newspaper has an editor.
Corlette also said that the responsibility of what goes in the newspaper is the responsibility of each editor because it is about editorial independence.
Wesley also confirmed that he did not read the Nai Lalakai newspaper as he has difficulty reading the iTaukei language.
He also said that he has never read the Nai Lalakai.
Wesley confirmed that part of his responsibility is that all editors of The Fiji Times report to him.
Fiji Times Defence Lawyers L-R: Wylie Clarke, Devanesh Sharma, Marc Corlett and Aman Ravindra-Singh.
He said that as Editor-in-Chief, he is there as a support mechanism however the editors for all the publications have sole jurisdiction.
Fred Wesley has also told the High Court that he did not sign a contract other than the contract for Editor-in-Chief of the Fiji Times.
While being cross examined by Anare Ravula’s lawyer Devanesh Sharma, Wesley said he does not know who authorised the letter.
While cross examined by Wylie Clarke who represents Fiji Times Limited, Wesley said he does not remember receiving an email from the Permanent Secretary for iTaukei Affairs.
Fiji Times Publisher, Hank Arts, Editor in Chief, Fred Wesley, Nai Lalakai Edtior, Anare Ravula and Contributor Josaia Waqabaca
Fiji Times Limited, Hank Arts and Josaia Waqabaca have pleaded not guilty to sedition while Fred Wesley and Anare Ravula have pleaded not guilty to aiding and abetting sedition.
It is alleged that Fiji Times printed the Nai Lalakai newspaper which contained an article which had content with a seditious intention to promote feelings of ill will and hostility between classes of the population.
The case continues.
