SUVA (Radio New Zealand International / Pacific Media Watch): Fiji's opposition Sodelpa party says it is still investigating allegations that ballot boxes were tampered with and broken into during the recent elections.
Radio New Zealand International reported today that a spokesman for the Sodelpa party, Mick Beddoes, said that all opposition parties were collecting statutory declarations or affidavits from anyone who witnessed alleged election tampering:
"The interesting thing is they're different locations and similar situations have been reported. That's what's got me to believe that there is something afoot here and we need to verify it because we appreciate the fact that if we cannot substantiate what we're saying then simply one can write it off as sour grapes."
However, Beddoes said a final report would only be released by the opposition parties in six months time.
Fiji's Electoral Commission earlier said there was no election fraud, but the five opposition parties maintained that they had evidence of "unsecured ballot papers ... ballot box tampering, broken seals and extra material in the boxes".
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