A man known to the two men who allegedly drowned in a pool at the Colo-i-Suva Forest Park is alleged to have offered $400 to the park ranger.

Colo-i-Suva park ranger, Amini Tuilau, claimed he was offered $400 by the man, so that he would not have to report the alleged incident to the Police.

Mr Tuilau said he did not accept the $400 he was allegedly offered because he knew it was wrong and unchristian. Dead are Mohammed Ifraz Faruq, a 19-year-old student of the Fiji National University, and his brother, Abdul Moiz, who was the former employee of Subrails Furniture.

It is alleged that the two brothers had gone hiking around 7am with family members at the forest park in Colo-i-Suva on Sunday.

They had travelled in separate cars: their sister accompanied them as well. Mr Tuilau also claimed he was told two different stories of how the two brothers allegedly drowned at the Colo-i-Suva lower pool, by the two men who accompanied the brothers.

Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro, when asked if suspects were also questioned regarding the $400 bribery claim, she said they were still gathering statements and waiting on the post-mortem examination result.

Park Ranger Tells

Mr Tuilau said: “I first met them in the morning at around 7am: I greeted them and asked them if this was their first time at the park. They responded ‘yes’.

There were five of them – one of them responded that they wanted to hike for a few minutes before they head to McDonald’s for breakfast.

“I farewelled them and went back to the base so I can also have my breakfast with other campers that stayed over last night. More than an hour later, one of the relatives ran up crying for help.

He told me that the two brothers had drowned. At first, I was angry because the two brothers wanted to hike, not swim. Since working at the park, the alleged incident is the first that Mr Tuilau has encountered where lives have been lost.

The ranger also claimed there was no one else at the pool at the time of the alleged incident, but the five individuals. He also claimed he was given two different versions of what allegedly happened at the pool.

“I got curious, I got confused as to which account, I should listen to. I confronted them about this. I asked them why they had different versions.”

Then I told them, I couldn’t do much and that we had to go back to the office and inform my supervisor and Police what had occurred.”

While questioning them again, Mr Tuilau said one of the men then grabbed him by the hand and allegedly offered him $400 and said not to report the alleged incident.

“I got furious as I was still trying to determine what had happened. I told him I can’t accept the cash; I told him straight away I’ll report and cooperate with the Police,” he said.

Police

Ms Naisoro alleged the two brothers were found lying motionless by relatives in the Colo-i-Suva lower pool on Sunday morning.

She alleged the brothers had gone hiking with family members and upon reaching Colo-i-Suva, they took the lead to the lower pool.

“When remaining family members reached the location, they found the two, who were reported to be non-swimmers, floating motionless in the pool,” Ms Naisoro claimed.

A post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the cause of death. Police investigations are continuing.

Story By: NACANIELI TUILEVUKA and JONE SALUSALU

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