Fiji's embattled public prosecutor Christopher Pryde Photo: Christopher Pryde
Fiji's embattled public prosecutor - living in exile in Aotearoa - claims government agents from Fiji stalked him outside his home.
In a statement released to local and overseas journalists this week, Christopher Pryde said that three men from Fiji parked outside his Christchurch home in his absence last month and identified themselves to a neighbour.
Pryde is facing three corruption charges in the Suva Magistrates Court and plans are afoot to extradite him to Fiji.
His extradition case was called before the Magistrates Court in Suva on Friday.
A lawyer for Fiji's Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) told the court the organisation had sent an investigating officer to New Zealand to serve Pryde with a summons, but he was not home.
FICAC's spokesperson Jale Daucakacaka told RNZ Pacific on Tuesday that the matter had been referred to the appropriate office.
"If and until we receive a confirmation, I cannot comment on the matter," Daucakacaka said.
Meanwhile, Pryde has lodged a formal complaint about the incident with the New Zealand police and his local MP, Hamish Campbell.
"Such behaviour by foreign government agents in a friendly sovereign country would not be tolerated if it was carried out by the Chinese or the Russian governments," he said.
"Why is the Fijian government allowed to act like this with impunity in New Zealand? It would be illegal for them to serve me with an extradition order in New Zealand, that should be done by the police here."
Pryde said that any attempts to do this would "breach New Zealand's sovereignty."
FICAC charged Pryde with three counts of corruption in August, namely that he allegedly:
- approved and received around NZ$102,000 without the approval of the President and the Judicial Services Commission (JSC);
- approved and received eight reimbursements for airfares for his wife and child, worth $NZ35,000, that he was not entitled to;
- was reimbursed NZ$6000 for unused air tickets by his office even though the airline had already refunded him.
Pryde maintains that FICAC has never formally notified him of any charges.
He has previously denied any wrongdoing and told Pacific Waves the charges were "bogus" and "politically-driven".
"These are heavy-handed tactics that are designed to intimidate me and to prevent me from coming back to Fiji and resuming my duties," he said in August.
Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka criticised Pryde earlier this year for failing to turn up to work, seven months after he was reinstated in January.
In July, following a public backlash over his absence, President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu suspended his NZ$185,000 salary and benefits.
Pryde sought a judicial review of the president's decision in the High Court in Suva. A ruling on the case is expected next week.
RNZ Pacific has reached out to Fiji's coalition government, the Fiji Police and the New Zealand Police for a response to Pryde's claims.
*An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Christopher Pryde was Fiji's suspended director of public prosecutions. Pryde remains the substantive holder of the position. However, his salary and benefits have been suspended, for which he is seeking a judicial review.