Police Investigate Officer's Conduct over Released Accused

The Police officer, who escorted a man at the Suva Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, had no intention of releasing the accused.

It comes as Police investigates allegations where a Police officer released accused, Thakor Hari Punja, despite a court order that he was to be remanded.

Punja is charged with three counts of being found in possession of illicit drugs.

He was allegedly found with 0.841 grams of methamphetamine, 5.447 grams of cocaine, and 16.6 grams of marijuana.

Punja was charged at the Lami Police Station and produced at the Suva Magistrate’s Court yesterday before Magistrate Yogesh Prasad, who had remanded him for failing to provide sureties.

We had reached out to the police officer in question who said, “he had left the accused for a few minutes to obtain the remand warrant from the court registry, but the accused left on his own accord”.

It is understood that the accused had left the court premises for his family home at Kavika Place in Muanikau, Suva.

“Through my internal sources, I managed to arrest the suspect before this morning’s hearing,” the Police officer said.

It is understood that Police officers must lodge a report when such incidents occur. The said officer failed to do this.

Acting Police Commissioner Juki Fong Chew confirmed their internal affairs team was investigating.

“We will await the outcome of the investigation, which would determine the offences the officer would be taken to task against,” Mr Chew said.

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