The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Fiji Police Force says it has ascertained that an incident in Kalekana in Lami two weekends ago is in “no way linked to human trafficking or abduction”.
A 22-year-old mechanic had sustained injuries and hospitalised, and his vehicle was damaged after what police believe were results of alleged abduction claims by residents.
In a statement, Fiji Police Commissioner Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho said six men and a juvenile aged between 17 to 56 years had been charged for various offences, which included assault, assault causing actual bodily harm, damaging property, and theft and receiving stolen property, as car parts were stripped and given to others and later recovered by investigators.
He said 12 people were brought in for questioning, and seven had been charged, and more expected to be brought in soon.
“I continue to urge members of the public not to be easily swayed by what they read on social media or from unbalanced articles, which do not give stakeholders the opportunity for a right of response,” Brig-Gen Qiliho said.