THE seven missing cocaine bars from the High Court in Suva have raised a bigger question than where the drugs went — who is accountable?
But the authorities are not saying.
Since the disappearance was made public on Wednesday, key questions about the security, custody and oversight of the exhibits have gone unanswered.
Chief registrar Tomasi Bainivalu, who said on Thursday the drugs were missing from earlier this year and was being investigated, has declined to say who had been investigating the disappearance from when it was discovered missing, whether police were informed at the time the theft was first discovered, when were the drugs last accounted for, or who would ultimately be held accountable.
He has also declined to explain how frequently the exhibit room was audited, who conducted stocktakes and whether there was a dedicated officer recording who entered the room, which exhibits were accessed and what was removed.
In response to the disappearance, Chief Justice Salesi Temo had said the responsibility for the exhibit room keys rested with the chief registrar and authorised staff.
“All those people who work under him, that’s their responsibility to keep the key,” Justice Temo said.
There are also reports circulating that a key to the exhibit room was missing at some point.
Authorities have not publicly confirmed or explained this.
Justice Temo had also alluded to shortcomings in how the matter was handled after the criminal case ended — when the drugs were not destroyed —bluntly saying “whoever is handling the prosecutor is not organised”.
The Ministry of Policing and Police has also directed this newspaper to the original press release.
The Director of Public Prosecutions and Justice Minister Siromi Turaga said a statement would be issued but nothing was received when this edition went to press.
