Driver in custody after allegedly refusing to hand over car keys to police

A driver is now in custody after he allegedly refused to hand over his car keys to police as his vehicle wheel tax was expired and in the process he also allegedly tried to assault three police officers.

This alleged incident happened at a gas station in Nausori yesterday.

Police Spokesperson Ana Naisoro says despite being asked repeatedly to hand over the keys, the suspect refused. Naisoro says bystanders came to the scene thinking police were abusing their powers when in fact they were doing their job.

She says as police tried to restrain him, the man allegedly punched an officer. The officers then used pepper spray to subdue the suspect and keep others at arm’s length when they were trying to do their work.

Naisoro says police have undergone training and they have standard procedures for the use of pepper spray whereby the officers had followed all necessary procedures before using it contrary to the claims made yesterday that they were abusing authority.