Party link claims

A-G: KISHORE KUMAR IS NOT EMPLOYED BY FIJIFIRST

ATTORNEY-GENERAL Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says Kishore Kumar — a schoolteacher involved in an online attack on National Federation Party parliamentarian Lenora Qereqeretabua — is not employed by FijiFirst.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum, who is also the general secretary of FijiFirst, made the comment during a press conference last Thursday in Suva.

When quizzed about claims made by Mr Kumar during a National Federation Party rally in September, 2016 that he was the head administrator of FijiFirst’s social media team, the A-G said “no, he does not manage our social media”.

When asked if Mr Kumar was ever approached by FijiFirst in any capacity and whether Mr Sayed-Khaiyum or anyone from FijiFirst had any connection with Mr Kumar, the A-G did not respond directly to the question but said Mr Kumar had said different things about the party in the past.

“If you see Mr Kumar’s videos, he has been critical of the FijiFirst party in the past, critical of individual ministers, he has even been critical of the Prime Minister at one stage in time, he has been critical of other political parties.

“So, obviously, Mr Kishore Kumar, like many other people on social media, is a free agent, he has his own opinions and own views depending on what point in time.

“So in that context, he has said many things about the party and those opposed to the party.”

Mr Kumar, a computer science teacher at a Suva high school, had uploaded several posts on Facebook where he attacked Ms Qereqeretabua and had made references to pornography and immorality and referred to her as a “porn star”.

He has been suspended by the Education Ministry pending police investigations after a complaint was lodged by Ms Qereqeretabua.