High Court officer under scrutiny after $8.2m worth cocaine exhibits disappear
Missing exhibits were linked to convicted drug offender Joshua Rahman's case.
Thursday 17 September 2026 | 09:00
Updated 17 September 2026 | 10:17 FJT
The Fiji Police Force K9 Unit on patrol outside the Suva courthouse on September 17, 2926.
Photos: Ronald Kumar
A High Court officer is believed to be the main person of interest in an investigation into the disappearance of seven cocaine exhibits from the High Court Exhibit Room.
The missing drugs are among 39 bars of cocaine tendered as evidence in the major drug case involving convicted offender Joshua Rahman.
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) began investigating after the drugs were discovered missing during a physical inspection of the exhibit room.
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In a statement released yesterday, Assistant Commissioner of Police Crime Loraini Seru confirmed the discovery.
She said the inspection was attended by senior judiciary officials, a senior official from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, police officers and Crime Scene Investigations personnel.
The seven missing bars are estimated to be worth about $8.2 million.
Sources said investigators are focusing on a High Court officer as the main person of interest at this stage of the inquiry.
The cocaine was linked to Rahman’s case, in which he was convicted of possessing 39.5 kilograms of cocaine.
Rahman’s legal battle culminated on August 28 when the Supreme Court reinstated his 23-year prison sentence, which had earlier been overturned by the Court of Appeal.
Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu directed inquiries to the High Court Registry. Attempts to obtain comment from the Chief Registrar were unsuccessful.
Authorities have yet to disclose when the exhibits were last accounted for or how long they may have been missing.
Investigations are continuing.
