Police still gathering evidence in Vakarisi custody death probe

Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu says there’s no delay in investigations into the death of Jone Vakarisi in military custody.  

Questioned by the media during his press conference yesterday, Mr Tudravu said there were a lot of areas that needed to be covered.  

“Including identifying the suspects,” he said.  

Mr Tudravu also confirmed that photos of the late Mr Vakarisi circulating on social media was not leaked from within the Fiji Police Force.  

“I am worried that people are making assumptions,” he said.  

The Republic of Fiji Military Forces Commander, Major-General Ro Jone Kalouniwai, has admitted that the military must take responsibility for recent incidents that have placed the RFMF under public scrutiny, including the incident where Mr Vakarisi was alleged to have died in military custody. 

“In the past few months, we had started with the joint operations with the Police. Amongst this was the incident that happened at the military camp," Major-General Ro Jone said last Sunday.  

"It was not intentional and no one knew it would end up the way it did. But we are at fault, and we must be accountable for that.”  

Meanwhile, Mr Tudravu said no arrests had been made. He added police were still in the process of gathering information from witnesses outside the army barracks.