Two women have been questioned by Police on allegations of soliciting for the purpose of prostitution in Suva.

Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro said the two women, aged 20 and 29 years old, were arrested on Thursday night by the Fiji Police Force operations team.

The women are said to be still in Police custody when this edition went to press.

The two were seen allegedly loitering around Suva and acting in a suspicious manner.

And a 42-year-old woman has been charged with theft for allegedly stealing a mobile phone.

She was searched and the mobile phone was found hidden in her undergarment.

What the law says:

Section 231 of the Crimes Decree 2009, Loitering or soliciting for the purposes of prostitution states:

(1) A person commits a summary offence if he or she—

(a) Loiters in a public place for the purpose of offering himself or herself for sex in return for a payment of any nature;

(b) Solicits for immoral purposes in any public place;

(c) Seeks the services of a prostitute in a public place; or

(d) Uses the services of a prostitute in a public place or

(e) Makes arrangements with a prostitute or a person offering the services of a prostitute in order to use his or her services by any communication whatsoever or

(f) Solicits for an immoral purpose by any communication whatsoever.

Penalty

(i) In respect of a first offence – a fine of five penalty units;

(ii) In respect of a subsequent offence – imprisonment for five months or a fine of 10 penalty units, or both.

(2) Any Police officer may arrest without warrant any person he or she finds in any public place that he reasonably suspects to be committing an offence under the provisions of this section.

(3) For the purposes of this section, “public place” includes the doorways and entrances of premises abutting on any public way and any ground adjoining and open to any public place.

Edited by Percy Kean

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