Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama paid his final tribute to the late Police Constable Siuta Niumataiwalu at the slain constable’s family residence at Muanikoso yesterday.

Soon after the presentation, Police officers from Lautoka briefed the PM on the incident.

The Prime Minister heard that Constable Niumataiwalu was a dedicated worker.

At the briefing Prime Minister Bainimarama heard that the man suspected of killing Constable Niumataiwalu, was involved in thefts in Nadi and Ba. On Monday the suspect was involved in three thefts in Lautoka.

Constable Niumataiwalu was part of the Police team who gave chase to the suspect. It was when he held on to the suspect’s shirt when he turned and was stabbed with a knife.

“He was stabbed several times,” the Prime Minister heard.

The Police said that they tried their best to revive the late Constable Niumataiwalu, but he died early on Tuesday morning.

The suspect challenged the Police before he was arrested.

Mr Bainimarama was told that on Wednesday when the suspect was interviewed, he told Police officers that he could not remember what he did.

The Prime Minister urged the Police to be quick in their investigation so that the suspect was charged and taken to Court.

Constable Niumataiwalu’s body was still in Lautoka. On Friday the Police will transfer his body from the Colonial Memorial War Hospital mortuary for a night at his home before his burial on Saturday at Nasinu Cemetery.

Prime Minister Bainimarama would not be able to attend the funeral service as he leaves today for the Fiji Day celebration in Australia this weekend.

Edited by Jonathan Bryce

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