Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry is again demanding action over the fatal ferris wheel accident that claimed the life of 21-year-old Komal Kumar and left two other women seriously injured at the Fiji Showcase event in Suva last year.
The tragedy has remained unresolved 17 months later, raising serious concerns over the lack of progress in the investigation and the failure to hold anyone accountable.
“Why has a report on the fatal accident not been released 17 months into the incident?” Mr Chaudhry questioned.
“Is someone being protected?
“Are the authorities hoping that the incident will just fade away without anyone being held accountable for what is patently a case of dereliction of duty resulting in death?
“It is just appalling that agencies set up to provide justice and redress to aggrieved parties – the Employment Ministry, the Police, the DPP’s office and organisations such as the Human Rights and Anti Discrimination Commission- are simply passing on the buck.
Mr Chaudhry said it took Employment Minister Agni Deo Singh and his team of Occupational Health and Safety officers six months to compile a report on the accident which was finally forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions office in December last year, suggesting that charges be laid.
“Since then, the DPP’s office has been sitting on the case. In response to queries from the media they said they were still awaiting the Police report on the case. It wrote to the Police on January 4, 2024, asking for the report.
“Labour wrote to Acting Police Commissioner Juki Fong Chew on June 18, 2024, six months later, asking why a Police report had still not been filed. The Commissioner responded that he had referred the matter to another officer but that is where the matter ended.”
He said it had been 17 months, and nothing had happened in the case, ‘no one has been charged and no one is taking responsibility.’
‘It seems the DPP’s office, and the Police are dragging the issue until it is swept under the carpet.
‘The onus is now on Minister Agni Deo Singh to exercise the powers of the Labour Inspection and Compliance Unit (LICU) to prosecute the offenders.”
