Investigation into Fijians Helping Fiji Co‑operative Ltd still ongoing - Police

The Police investigation into the locally based Fijians Helping Fiji Co‑operative Limited is ongoing.

Spokesperson Ana Naisoro says a report was received in January whereby allegations were made against senior executives regarding the alleged misappropriation of funds.

Naisoro says officers from the Criminal Investigations Department continue to verify allegations made against the senior officials and claims that they had misused members’ funds.

Fijians Helping Fiji Cooperative Limited had told Fijivillage earlier this year that it is undeterred by media reports that the American organization which has been working with the cooperative, was under investigation by the FBI late last year.

The cooperative was formed last year and gets $120 membership from interested people who can then sell their agricultural produce to the cooperative which is exported to the US.

Chairman of Fijians Helping Fiji Cooperative Limited Ratu Meli Vesikula said that many of their members here have already benefitted from the initiative as the cooperative has been buying cassava at $1 a kg and dalo at $3 a kilo from the villagers.

When questioned on the total revenue received by the cooperative, Vesikula said he could not reveal those details.

He had only said that they had 6,000 members in Fiji and the numbers continue to increase.

Vesikula could not be reached for comments today and the official number to the organization is unavailable at the moment.