Manslaughter charges laid against 8 officers in Fiji

Transcript

Human rights groups have welcomed the announcement that manslaughter charges have been laid against eight police officers and a soldier for the death of a man in police custody last year.

Vilikesa Soko, 30, died in Lautoka Hospital in August as a result of wounds he sustained from a beating while in police custody.

The Police Commissioner says the charges show that nobody is above the law.

Jamie Tahana reports.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Christopher Pryde, on Thursday announced that nine people -- eight police officers and a soldier -- have been charged with manslaughter and rape in relation to the death of Vilikesa Soko. They have also been charged with assault causing bodily harm to Senijieli Boila, who was also beaten while in custody.Two of them have also been charged with perverting the course of justice by instructing other police officers to make false statements during the investigation.

The police commissioner, Ben Groenewald, says while it's extremely disappointing his officers have been charged, it sends a clear message that nobody is above the law and actions bear consequences.

BEN GROENEWALD: I'm positive that this will be a deterrent for other people to know that we will not tolerate any police brutality in the execution of their functions and that we will take steps against those people who transgress.

Mr Soko, 30, was arrested in connection with a robbery in Nadi last August, and died at Lautoka Hospital after being beaten while in police custody. Ben Groenewald says those charged will appear in court on Friday, and he's satisfied the case has been thoroughly investigated by police.

But Amnesty International's Pacific researcher, Kate Schuetze, says while the arrests are a positive development, the fact charges have been laid doesn't necessarily mean justice will be served.

KATE SCHUETZE: What we saw in 2009 in a similar case where eight military officers and one police officer was charged with the death of a 19-year-old was that the Minister of Justice released them on compulsory supervision orders into the public around three weeks after they were sentenced by the courts, and we would definitely see that within interference of due process.

Kate Schuetze says a number of abuse cases in Fiji remain unsolved, such as a 2013 video showing two recaptured prisoners being beaten by security personnel.

However, Ben Groenewald says that particular case has also been completed and submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions, but it was referred back to police.

BEN GROENEWALD:The case has been completely investigated and submitted to the office of the DPP for decision, he referred the case docket back to us with one query and that was the submission of specific medical reports on the victim.

Ben Groenewald says he hopes the file will be resubmitted in a few weeks. He says he's positive his message that brutality will not be tolerated in the police force is getting through and its culture is changing - something Amnesty International has welcomed.