Body Lost From Morgue
Family seeks answers Police now investigating
Thursday 22 July 2021 | 12:37
Police constable Terio Tamani directing traffic outside the mortuary at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital after they cordoned it off due to the movement of people around the area on 21 July 2021. Photo- Leon Lord
Acting Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu confirmed they are investigating how the body of a woman, who was to be buried on Sunday, was allegedly still missing from the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH) mortuary.
The body of the late Avisaki Likubau was placed at the Suva mortuary on July 10.
Her funeral was supposed to take place on July 18, family member Esava Rokosuka confirmed.
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However, when family members went to retrieve her body, they could not find it.
Mr Rokosuka said they had co-operated well with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and even offered help to look through the cadavers. Mr Rokosuka said they were hoping that the body of the grandmother was located soon so she could be given her funeral rites.
He added that they made a Police report regarding the missing body of Ms Likubau.
Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete said this was an “unusual thing to happen”.
He said he contacted the family and discussed the issue with them.
“We are working with our mortuary providers. We are grateful to the Fiji Police for their support as well,” he said.
The services at the Suva mortuary are stretched due to the now increasing number of COVID-19 deaths as well as non-COVID-19 deaths.
Brown Street became a traffic controlled area as the Police stepped in to put an end to the congestion, which happened last week.
