Police have launched an internal probe into alleged misconduct by officers who tended to a report in Nabitu Village, Tailevu, on Friday evening.
Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu has directed the acting director of the Internal Affairs Unit to look into the incident after serious claims were made about officers from the Nausori Police Station, who reportedly used excessive force and intimidation while responding to a complaint involving a group of children.
A social media post shared by Nabitu villager Ro Mocelutu Lagilagi detailed the family’s distressing encounter with the officers, including the alleged wrongful detention of two of his brothers and verbal threats made toward his parents.
“They forcefully took him out of his house without any valid evidence,” Mr Lagilagi said.
“This was solely based on the complainant’s report in which these officers didn’t even get to the bottom of things to try and get both sides of the story.”
Mr Lagilagi further claimed that when their younger brother attempted to film the incident, the officers confiscated his phone and deleted the footage, raising concerns over abuse of power.
“In the wake of all that’s happening and with this kind of policemen walking our streets, who are we gonna turn to when we need help?
“And what’s going to curb this issue of police officers abusing their powers?”
He also alleged that one of the officers verbally threatened the family, using language they described as “disrespectful and unprofessional”.
In response, Mr Tudravu acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations, saying such incidents risked undermining ongoing efforts by the Force to rebuild public trust.
“At a time when we are trying to regain trust and confidence, these sorts of allegations put a dent in our efforts,” Mr Tudravu said.
“Police officers have been constantly reminded that we need to do better, and we can, by getting back to the heart of policing and serve with integrity and professionalism at all times.”
