Opposition MP Premila Kumar has called for a thorough and transparent inquiry after seven cocaine bars linked to a high-profile drug case went missing from the High Court in Suva exhibit room, saying the incident had raised serious questions about public trust in Fiji’s institutions.
“I’m shocked that the safest place, which is the High Court, the cocaine has gone missing,” Mrs Kumar said.
She questioned how the exhibits could disappear from a secured facility and whether adequate monitoring systems were in place.
“Why can’t we have CCTV cameras installed?” she asked, saying technology should be used to strengthen security around high-risk exhibits.
Mrs Kumar said authorities needed to publicly explain what happened and how the missing exhibits could affect confidence in the justice system.
“There has to be a direct communication with the public.”
She also questioned whether police should be solely responsible for any inquiry, calling for a process that was independent and thorough.
So there has to be some inquiry that needs to go into this and it should not be like wishy-washy kind of inquiry.”
Mrs Kumar also proposed changes to how drug exhibits are handled after they are presented in court.
She suggested photographing and recording the exhibits before they are destroyed through a transparent process involving police and independent witnesses.
“Why you want to keep it in the exhibition room?”
She said high-risk substances should not necessarily remain in storage once their evidential requirements had been met.
Mrs Kumar said the disappearance was particularly concerning given Fiji’s ongoing drug-related challenges.
She said the incident could further undermine public confidence if authorities did not provide clear answers.
Police have confirmed that an investigation is underway into how the seven cocaine bars went missing and how the exhibits were allegedly tampered with.
