THE proposed Police Bill 2026 would allow Fiji Police Force to apply for court orders preventing suspects from leaving the country while investigations are underway into serious offences.
Under Division 6 of the Bill, police officers would be able to seek a stop departure order from the courts if a person is being investigated for what the legislation describes as a “stop departure offence”.
“If a person is being investigated by the police for a stop departure offence, a police officer may apply to the court for a stop departure order to prohibit the person from leaving the jurisdiction of the Republic of Fiji,” the Bill states.
The proposed order would effectively prevent a person from travelling overseas for a specified period determined by the court.
“The order must specify the period in which the person is prohibited from leaving the jurisdiction of the Republic of Fiji,” the Bill states.
The legislation also imposes notification requirements once an order has been granted.
Under the proposed law, the Commissioner of Police would be required to notify the individual in writing within 24 hours by serving the order at their last known residential address.
The Commissioner must also notify the Director of Immigration in writing.
“Where an order is made, the Commissioner must notify the person in writing of the prohibition by serving the order on the person at his or her last known residential address within 24 hours of the issuance of the order,” the Bill states.
Responsibility for enforcing the order would rest with Immigration authorities.
“The Director of Immigration must enforce the order,” the legislation states.
The stop departure provisions form part of a wider package of new investigative and enforcement powers contained in the Police Bill 2026, which was tabled in Parliament yesterday.
If passed, the measure would give police an additional tool to prevent suspects under investigation from leaving Fiji before inquiries are completed, subject to court approval.
