Sixty-nine Police officers have been charged in the 12 months of 2020 for offences ranging from assault to rape.

According to statistics released from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the list of offences range from assault causing actual bodily harm, careless driving, dangerous driving, theft, dangerous driving causing grievous harm, aiding and abetting, providing false information, unlawful possession of illicit drugs, attempting to pervert the course of justice, conspiracy to defeat justice, common assault and giving false statement on oath.

Two Police officers were also charged last year for abuse of office.

Other offences faced by Police officers are forgery, obtaining financial advantage, sexual assault, rape, indecent assault, attempted rape, breach of zero alcohol limit, driving without a licence, driving an unregistered vehicle, receiving a bribe, falsifying a document, acts intended to cause grievous harm, failure to comply with orders, failure to obey traffic directions, unlawful use of illicit drugs and disorderly conduct in a Police station.

Defence Minister Inia Seruiratu said: “There are systems in place to arrest those who do not co-operate within the law and abuse the powers that are rested upon the Fiji Police Force.

“From the Government and as Minister responsible, it is a concern and I always raise this with the Fiji Police Force every time we have the meetings.

“We do not condone and we will not keep those in the Force who do not abide by the laws and operate outside what is being said to them.”

Edited by Ranoba Baoa

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