Investigation into claims police officers allegedly poured hot water on a suspect in Navua

The Commissioner of Police Sitiveni Qiliho has directed and will personally oversee an investigation of a case of alleged police brutality where officers allegedly seriously harmed a suspect who was brought in for questioning at the Navua Police Station this week.

Qiliho says he has directed the Director of Internal Affairs to conduct a thorough investigation and to determine the extent of the involvement of police officers.

He says the victim is claiming police officers arrested him from his home in Navua and during the questioning process poured hot water on him where he sustained burns.

Qiliho says this alleged act if found to be true is unacceptable and deplorable, and he will not allow any member of the Fiji Police Force to think that he or she is above the law.

The Commissioner of Police Sitiveni Qiliho

The Police Commissioner says he has sent this warning to the senior officers on the frontline adding there is no place in the institution for corrupt and irresponsible officers whose actions have tarnished the image of the institution and the hard and honest work put in by many other officers.

He says Police officers are well versed with their roles in upholding and respecting the rights of those who are brought into their custody, and any officer whose actions contravene these rights will be dealt with severely through their internal disciplinary processes and brought before the court of law to answer to their crime.

Qiliho adds at a time when they are calling for support for the work of their police officers, they cannot be seen to be breaching the very laws that they swore an oath to uphold and once those involved are identified, he will remove them from the Force while they await the outcomes of the criminal investigation that is running concurrently to the internal investigation.

The Police Commissioner says he wants to personally assure members of the public that any breach of the law by Police officers will be given priority in terms of investigations that he will personally oversee them.