Fijian soldier jailed for shooting in Lebanon

Press, 10 December 1983, Page 37

Fijian soldier jailed for shooting in Lebanon

NZPA special correspondent Suva A Fijian soldier who shot dead a Lebanese doctor in March while serving in southern Lebanon has been jailed for five years by a military court. Private Lesio Tabaiwalu, aged 25, was found guilty of manslaughter at a trial held last month at the headquarters of the Ist Battalion, Fiji Infantry Regiment, serving with UNIFIL peacekeeping forces in Lebanon. Tabaiwalu has had his sentence confirmed by the Royal Fiji Military Forces 'in Fiji. A Forces spokesman said Tabaiwalu was “held responsible for the unlawful killing of Dr Ibrahim Kaloush at a Fiji battalion checkpoint on March 30. Tabaiwalu said in his de-

fence that he was provoked during a scuffle with the doctor, who refused to be searched by Fijian soldiers at a checkpoint outside the village of Ayn Abai. Dr Kaloush objected to a request by Fijian soldiers to have his wife leave their car so that they could search the vehicle.

After an argument at the checkpoint, Dr Kaloush attempted to disarm Tabaiwalu, who reacted by firing his weapon at the doctor.

A Forces statement said that while Tabaiwalu was justified in resisting any attempt to disarm him, he was not justified in resorting to the degree of lethal force that he used. The incident illustrated the trying and often impos-

sible conditions under which Fijian soldiers had to work in Lebanon, the statement said.

These conditions demanded from a soldier the highest degree of discipline and professional conduct and the greatest sense of responsibility for the lives and the dignity of the Lebanese people, it said. The trial by the military court in Lebanon was the third to be convened since Fijian soldiers joined UNIFIL. One soldier was given a deferred prison sentence, while the second was found not guilty by military court.

Tabaiwalu was the first Fijian soldier to be jailed after returning home. He can appeal against the sentence.