Police confirms Agovaka reported case, claiming Sibia’s video racist

Police say the complainant against the video posted by Israel Trevor Sibia is the MP for Central Guadalcanal Peter Shanel Agovaka who claimed that the footage was racist and inappropriate.

Sibia’s appeal for help online yesterday went viral after police warned that they would arrest him if he refused to show up to police by 4pm. Sibia was wanted by police for a video he posted on Youtube that questioned the government especially the Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, regarding development on Guadalcanal particularly in the Central Guadalcanal area.

Yesterday Sibia claimed that politicians were behind his case and many had gone to the social media to throw their support behind him— arguing that the video was fair and had not threatened national security.

At today’s press conference, the Sibia Saga dominated the questions and deputy commissioner Ian Vaevaso was the man at the receiving end.

In doing so, he strongly rejected accusations that the force is not neutral – and rebuffed claims it has taken directives from politicians in this case.

“Police officers were mandated to ethically act, carry out work independently in a manner that is subject to the chain of command when discharging their duties as authorized by the Police Act,” he said.

In this case, he explains, the Guadalcanal Police officers were mandated to carry out the task. Vaevaso also denied that they engaged officers from the PRT, instead, he repeated that the police officers were from the GP Police front-line.

When asked why the complaint was raised and who was behind, Vaevaso stated that given the nature of the video which is racist and inappropriate, the MP for the constituency, Agovaka, raised it with the police.

He said Sibia and his party was supposed to meet with Agovaka at Henderson Police Station – adding that the MP was also waiting for them at the station for the meeting. Sibia’s father and brother attended but later went home after Israel didn’t turn up. Israel argued that he was not going to police station until he had a legal representation.

When probed on the video and why they acted, Vaevaso said police believed that some parts of the comments made Sibia made in the video were racist, discriminatory and it contains inappropriate language which is a national security issue.

“Such comment is dangerous in the post conflict era that we leave in,” he added.

Vaevaso said there were no arrests being made.