Fiji police

Last week, the police commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho said the use of taser guns was being looked at following revelations there had been over 120 cases of officers being seriously assaulted this year.

But the president of the National Federation Party, Pio Tikoduadua, says he's surprised police were unable to defend themselves with the batons and pepper spray they currently carry.

He says while officers should not be used as "punching bags", police with taser guns will only 'aggravate an already tense state of affairs'.

Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu said the attacks had been on officers who were simply conducting their duties to keep Fiji safe and they must stop.

"Police officers put their lives on the line every day and when one is injured or loses their life while executing his or her duties, it impacts our service delivery, not to mention the pain and suffering it causes to the officers' families," he said in a statement.

Police would not take threats against officers' lives lightly, Mr Tudravu said.

Police believe the man is known to the Indo-Fijian family whose members died, with local media reports saying he is believed to be a natural healer.

Post mortem findings are consistent with the ingestion of a substance by all five victims leading to their deaths.

The Lautoka court yesterday dismissed a police application to keep the New Zealander in custody for longer than 48 hours without facing charges.

The FBC reports the man's wife was also questioned and released last night.

Speaking at the National Symposium on Suicide Prevention, the Assistant Commissioner Isikeli Ligairi said some suicide victims were younger than 16.

Assistant Commissioner Ligairi told FBC News they recorded 13 children who committed suicide in 2013 and 15 child suicides in 2015.

He urged parents and relevant stakeholders to work collaboratively in trying to reduce these numbers.

Photo: 123RF

The Pacific Freedom Forum said police failed to uphold the law over an incident in which a journalist was reportedly assaulted right in front of police, outside Fiji's main courts.

Filming a man sentenced on a corruption case, Fiji Broadcasting Corporation journalist Praneeta Prakash was struck in the stomach with a stone thrown by a remand prisoner.

The prisoner was under police escort at the time.

Police refused to take action even as the prisoner swore and verbally abused Prakash.

The workshop, run by the Australia Federal Police and the Fiji Women's Crisis Centre, will also help them understand gender dynamics as well as laws relating to gender-based violence.

30 police are involved in what is the fourth Regional Police Training Program to be held since 2014.

The co-ordinator of the Crisis Centre, Shamima Ali, said with the high rates of violence against women in the Pacific, it is vital that officers understand its dynamics and how perpetrators operate, so they are better able to respond.

The delegation of 22 officers are being hosted by the Fiji Police Women’s Network and have been involved in various activities covering policing as well as sports.

The initial talks regarding the visitation happened during the Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting last year.

Fiji Police Women’s National Coordinator Acting Superintendent Sala Radaniva says they looking at conducting a similar visit to Vanuatu next year.

Photo: FBC

This comes after a man, Ricardo Fisher, said on Monday that he was punched and kicked while in custody last week.

Mr Fisher said he spent two days in hospital with injuries including broken ribs.

His case follows the beating of several individuals on a roadside in Suva two weeks ago.

In a speech last week, prime minister Frank Bainimarama admitted torture was an issue, but said it was never sanctioned by the state.

The Fiji Times reports Henry Brown, who resigned in January after initially being sent on leave, is now in Australia.

Mr Brown was sent on leave after Mr Qiliho said he was under investigation, although last month the Director of Public Prosecutions ruled no criminal charges were being laid.

Several of them had been earlier reinstated by the acting police chief Sitiveni Qiliho after his predecessor Ben Groenewald suspended them ahead of court proceedings.

Mr Qiliho told a press conference in Suva this morning the nine officers were suspended on full pay yesterday after his discussions with the Director of Public Prosecutions.