FEAR is what Patricia Baleturaga remembers most about the night she alleges military and police officers forced their way into a Kinoya home and assaulted her late partner, Sakiasi Radravu.
The 25-year-old said she watched helplessly as officers allegedly surrounded the house where they were staying at about 10pm on April 23 and confronted Mr Radravu over a break-in at the home of a military officer in Kinoya.
“They did not ask for permission to come in, they just tore down the grills and came in forcefully,” she said.
She claimed a military officer immediately assaulted her partner after entering the house.
“As soon as he came into the house, he did an uppercut (punch) on Sakiasi and told him, ‘You broke into the wrong house. I will kill you’.”
According to Ms Baleturaga, Mr Radravu repeatedly denied any involvement in the alleged break-in and pleaded not to be taken away.
“My boyfriend was scared because that was just after what happened to Jone Vakarisi and my boyfriend kept telling them, ‘I do not want to be taken to the camp because I did not do it’.”
Ms Baleturaga alleged officers later assaulted him and stood on his chest while he was on the ground.
She also claimed Mr Radravu later told her there was an attempt made to force a handcuff into him, causing him to defecate on himself.
In the weeks that followed, she said he experienced severe pain as a result of the alleged beating.
“I had to keep massaging him because of the pain.”
She said in the aftermath of the alleged incident, her focus remained on his condition rather than making a formal complaint.
“I was too focused on him to be worried about filing a report with the police.”
