The mother of high-profile inmate Tevita Qaqanivalu has taken to social media to express anguish and frustration after being denied access to visit her son at the Maximum Corrections Centre on what she said was his birthday.
In a post, she claimed she travelled to the facility expecting a scheduled visitation, only to be informed at the checkpoint that all visits to her son had been cancelled without prior notice.
“I was shocked and humiliated after being told at the gate that I could not see my son, despite receiving confirmation earlier,” she wrote.
She alleged prison officers were unable to clearly explain the reason for the sudden cancellation, later telling her the decision had been made on instructions from senior authorities.
According to the mother, she was subsequently informed that the order had come from a Cabinet Minister, following allegations that her son had sent offensive text messages using a mobile phone while in custody.
She questioned how her son could be identified as the sender without a completed investigation, asking whether police had verified the ownership of the phone and SIM card allegedly involved.
“How can conclusions be drawn before any investigation is completed?” she wrote. “What authority does a Cabinet Minister have to cancel family visits before due process is followed?”
She also questioned why she, as the biological mother, was not informed in advance, despite prior confirmation through official prison communication channels.
In her post, she alleged a broader pattern of mistreatment, bullying and unprofessional conduct by some prison officers towards her son and other inmates, and called for an immediate independent investigation into the incident and overall conditions at the facility.
She further appealed directly to the Prime Minister to intervene, saying her plea was grounded in “justice, transparency and the humane treatment of inmates and their families.”
However, the Acting Attorney-General and Minister for Justice has strongly refuted the claim that he ordered the visit to be stopped, describing the allegation as false. This position was supported by the Officer in Charge of the Maximum Security Centre, who said his advice had been misrepresented.
“That is an operational matter and I make the call on all decisions regarding the family day visit,” said Acting Commissioner of Corrections, Moceisuva.
The Acting Commissioner added that the family day visit was “a unique privilege extended to prisoners who exhibit good behaviour and work productivity, and not a right as claimed.”
He also stated that the inmate’s mother had “twisted the advice given” and accused her of “propelling misinformation to promote a personal agenda.”
Fiji Corrections said family day visits continue to be widely supported, as they help strengthen family connections and support rehabilitation and reintegration.
“Yesterday alone, a total of 1,021 prisoners were visited by 2,308 family members across 16 correctional centres around Fiji,” Fiji Corrections said.
