ALLEGATIONS of misconduct against suspended Corrections Commissioner Dr Jalesi Nakarawa continued to pour in yesterday when four witnesses took the stand.
They related how his wife conducted drug tests on officers and how his stepson was accepted into training despite failing entry level requirements. One allegation that stood out to the Tribunal — comprising Justice Daniel Goundar, Justice Dane Tuiqereqere and Justice Savenaca Banuve — was that a Fiji Corrections officer was terminated by Dr Nakarawa for allegedly testing positive for methamphetamine, even though the laboratory result actually showed methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA).
This particular drug (MDMA) and methamphetamine are chemically distinct amphetamines, with MDMA being a milder empathogenic stimulant (“ecstasy”) that primarily affects serotonin, while methamphetamine (“ice” or “P”) is a far stronger, highly addictive stimulant that mainly boosts dopamine.
Witness Adrian Bukavulo said in court that on February 4, during the morning operations briefing, they were told that all officers residing in the quarters were to undergo a drug test by Dr Nakarawa’s wife, who took down their full names, ID numbers and ranks, after providing a urine sample.
The following day, he received a letter of termination signed by Dr Nakarawa, stating that he had tested positive for methamphetamine. That same day, he submitted a letter of redress to the Commissioner, contesting the accuracy of the result.
He then spoke to Shalvin Prakash, a lab technician, who informed him that his sample did not test positive for methamphetamine, but for MDMA, a compound that can be present in certain painkillers. He then explained to Dr Nakarawa that he had been taking painkillers from November and December 2024 — for a severe toothache — which coincided with the time of the test.
“I have also provided documentary proof from the Medical Correction Centre to verify that I had been prescribed and was taking pain medication,” he said.
On February 17, according to him, Dr Nakarawa said he would not reconsider his decision. “The decision caused me severe distress, both professionally and personally. As the sole breadwinner of my family, losing my job left my family without financial support, creating immense financial and emotional strain.”
Up, next was Mr Prakash who testified that a urine test detects the presence of drugs up to 72 hours after use, and in the case of meth-related substances, up to three months after exposure.
He recalled Mr Bukavulo coming to his laboratory, with a letter from Dr Nakarawa which stated that he had tested positive for methamphetamine, but when he checked his records, he found the positive result was recorded for MDMA and not methamphetamine.
As a result, his team of technicians sent a caution notice to both Dr Nakarawa and his wife, highlighting that certain prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as pseudoephedrine and some antidepressants may yield false positives for MDMA or similar compounds.
The notice emphasised, “The test results should be interpreted by a medical doctor for a proper diagnosis. The laboratory does not interpret results — it only provides data with recommendations.”
He then advised Mr Bukavulo to consult his doctor to avoid miscommunication. When Justice Tuiqereqere asked Mr Bukavulo why he was not not able to obtain a copy of his own result, he said the FCS instructed him that all reports were confidential and must not be released to the client.
Also taking that stand was the FCS director of Planning and Development, Apolosa Vere, who recalled reviewing the recruitment matrix when he discovered that Dr Nakarawa’s stepson had scored 30
out of 100 in the aptitude test on October 17, 2024. This, he said, was a fail.
On April 25 this year, he received a convening order from the Acting Commissioner of Corrections, appointing him as chairperson of a Board of Inquiry (BOI). The BOI was tasked to investigate allegations regarding the use of the FCS Welfare and Sports Fund to pay for the transportation costs of Mrs Nakarawa and another, and the use of the same fund to reimburse a senior officer for alcohol purchased during the BRC passing-out dinner.
He said that after reviewing all evidence, the BOI found that the FCS Welfare and Sports Fund had been misused, and the report detailing the findings was prepared and submitted to the Acting Commissioner.
The hearing continues today.
