Fiji Police have confirmed that an investigation is underway to verify allegations that members of a task force shared $150,000 seized during a drug raid.
In a statement, Police said the probe was triggered by claims made in a now-deleted Facebook post, in which an individual alleged in iTaukei that she had been told by a police officer about the incident.
“The accusations were serious enough to warrant an investigation that is now being conducted by the Criminal Investigations Department,” the statement said.
The development comes amid criticism from the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), which condemned the seizure of a mobile phone belonging to one of its affiliated journalists, Meri Radinibaravi, following her post referencing alleged corruption within the force.
Police clarified that Radinibaravi was interviewed by CID officers on April 30 as part of efforts to gather more information.
“Investigators had reached out to her to get more information, whereby she voluntarily came in and during the interview process willingly handed over her phone to assist with investigations,” Police said.
The Force rejected claims that the move was intended to suppress media freedom.
“Claims being made that the move was intended to suppress media freedom are not true, as the interview was conducted to gather more information regarding the accusations made.”
While the post has since been deleted and an apology issued, Police said the allegations remain under active investigation.
“The Fiji Police Force is treating these allegations seriously and will continue to verify the claims through the conduct of the investigation,” the statement added.
Authorities stressed that verifying such claims is critical to maintaining public trust and confidence.
Police have also reminded the public to exercise responsibility when sharing information online, warning that unverified claims can undermine ongoing efforts to combat crime.
