Police probe $150k drug raid claim, reject media suppression claims

The Fiji Police Force has defended the Criminal Investigations Department’s (CID) interview of a media representative earlier this week, saying the move was necessary to verify serious allegations of corruption involving police officers.

In a statement issued this evening, police said the interview, conducted on April 30, followed claims made by the individual in a now-deleted post on her personal Facebook page.

In the post, written in iTaukei, she alleged that a police officer had told her members of a task force shared $150,000 allegedly found during a drug raid.

Police said the allegations were serious enough to warrant a formal investigation, which is now being handled by the CID.

“The investigation was directed to verify claims made by the individual,” the statement said.

According to police, investigators contacted the media representative seeking further information, after which she voluntarily came in for an interview.

During the process, she willingly handed over her mobile phone to assist with the investigation.

While the individual has since apologised and removed the social media post, police said the allegations would continue to be treated seriously and thoroughly investigated.

The Fiji Police Force also rejected claims that the interview was an attempt to suppress media freedom.

“Claims being made that the move was intended to suppress media freedom are not true, as the interview was conducted to gather more information regarding the accusations made,” the statement said.

Police said leaving such claims unverified could undermine public trust and negatively affect ongoing efforts to rebuild confidence in the force.

“The Fiji Police Force is committed to regaining public trust and confidence, and such claims, if left unverified, harm current efforts,” the statement added.

Members of the public were again reminded to exercise their freedom of speech and expression responsibly, particularly when making allegations of a serious nature.