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The former guardian of one of the New Zealanders arrested in Fiji is shocked at his arrest, saying he had never caused trouble while living with him for eight years.
Sivaniolo Waqa Naulago, who has been in custody since being arrested on Saturday with his colleague, NZ multimillionaire Ballu Khan, came to Auckland in 1982 when he was 16.
He was sent to live with family friend David McGregor in Blockhouse Bay. His aunt, who had met Mr McGregor while holidaying in Fiji, had wanted a better education for him.
Mr Naulago, who was known to his friends in New Zealand as Waqa, attended Lynfield College.
After graduating with "top marks", he obtained a bachelor of science degree from the University of Auckland. He then moved to Wellington, where he worked at the ANZ Bank and held various other jobs.
Mr Naulago gained New Zealand citizenship in the late 1980s.
He later travelled to the US to work and has been back in Fiji for about seven years. He is now an executive of Mr Khan's company in Fiji, Pacific Connex.
Mr McGregor, 71, said he did not know what business Mr Naulago was doing in Fiji but he understood he had met Mr Khan while living in New Zealand.
"I'm just as confused as anybody. He was such a successful man, he had good jobs, lots of friends. He never caused any trouble. I can't believe what's happened."
Mr McGregor is still in regular email contact with Mr Naulago, aged in his early 40s, and saw him last year when he celebrated his 70th birthday.
He has not spoken to him since he was arrested.
Mr Naulago, with eight others, appeared in the Magistrates Court in Suva yesterday and was remanded in custody until today, when bail applications are to be heard.
They allegedly formed an assassination plot targeting Commodore Frank Bainimarama, interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry, interim Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and military officers.
Mr Khan remained in hospital last night after allegedly being beaten by police when arrested.
A spokesman for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said high commission staff in Fiji visited Mr Khan last night as agreed to by Fiji's Police Commissioner Esala Teleni.
However, Mr Peters would not say what injuries Mr Khan had, out of respect for his family.
- additional reporting: Derek Cheng
