$500 bribe by police to silent brutality victim

A 21-year-old maritime student remains in hospital after al­legedly being assaulted by a police officer following a brawl in Nausori on Sunday morning.

Vilikesa Bari, a final-year student at Fiji National University, was waiting for transport at Nausori Town with his cousin after attending a birthday function with his mother, Una Qioni­macawa.

At around 12.30 am, a brawl erupted nearby where Mr Bari was waiting.

Mr Bari described how the altercation escalated and attracted the attention of passersby.

“It happened so quickly,” Mr Bari said.

“A punch flew towards me, hitting my face, and my phone dropped.

We panicked for a moment.”

When he noticed police officers at the scene, he attempted to inter­vene, urging them to stop the fight.

However, it is alleged that a police officer took offence and, assuming he was part of the brawl, forcibly escorted Mr Bari to a police vehicle. Mr Bari claimed that during the ride to the Nausori Police Sta­tion, the officer punched him in the head with a torch, continuing the assault when they arrived at the station.

“He threw a few punches, kicked me, and dragged me to a table,” Mr Bari claimed from his hospital bed.

“He told me not to educate them about their responsibilities.”

In a disturbing twist, after Mr Bari was taken to Nausori Health Centre for treatment, he was alleg­edly visited by the officer, who of­fered him $500 to drop the case.

Ms Qionimacawa expressed her frustration and heartbreak.

“I couldn’t believe it when I heard my son had been hurt,” she said.

“And now they want him to cover it up with money. It’s devastating. I’m pleading with the authorities to take action and address this,” she added.

Minister for Home Affairs, Pio Tikoduadua, a known advocate against police brutality, has yet to comment on the allegation.

However, the Acting Commission­er of Police, Juki Fong Chew, has directed an immediate investigation into the claims.

“We have directed the Director of Internal Affairs to look into the as­sault claims thoroughly,” a police spokesperson said.

“Officers are constantly reminded to uphold the law, and they are equally answerable to it.”

Police have declined to comment on the bribery claim.

This case comes amid wider con­cerns about police conduct, highlighted in the recent Fiji National Security and Defence Review (NSDR), which identified police brutality as a persistent issue.

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