'Corruption a personal act, not institutional problem'

“Corruption is not part of the Fiji Police Force.”

Assistant Commissioner of Police Administration Meli Sateki made the declaration in response to parliamentary concerns over rising internal affairs cases and allegations of public misconduct.

Appearing before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, Mr Sateki faced sharp questioning from committee member Penioni Ravunawa, who asked whether corruption was becoming systemic within the ranks and sought clarification on measures being taken to address the issue.

Mr Sateki firmly rejected the notion that corruption is an organisational problem, saying it is the result of individual actions rather than an institutional crisis.

“We respect every report that (comes) comes in terms of corruption, but it is not part of the Fiji Police Force. We are looking at it as a personal act,” he said.

To address allegations of corruption, Mr Sateki outlined the standard legal procedures for handling implicated personnel.

Once a preliminary investigation yields credible evidence, the file is forwarded to the independent Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).

Under this protocol, accused officers are stood down from active duty to ensure an independent investigation can proceed without interference.

Mr Sateki emphasised that the force is fully committed to seeing these cases through to their conclusion, stating that it remains the organisation’s commitment to pursue successful prosecutions, even when investigations involve senior police officers.