Two nurses employed by the Fiji Corrections Service have been suspended with immediate effect amid allegations they were fraternising and colluding with inmates, the service said in a statement released today. The officers have been placed on half pay while a Board of Inquiry is convened to establish the facts surrounding the claims, the statement added.
The Fiji Corrections Service said the internal investigation will proceed in line with established disciplinary processes, with authorities expected to determine whether any breaches of conduct or professional standards occurred. The statement did not identify the nurses, specify which facility or inmates were involved, or provide a timeframe for the inquiry’s completion.
The service reiterated that it maintains a “zero-tolerance approach to corruption and inappropriate relationships between staff and inmates,” saying the suspensions were enacted to protect the integrity of the service and the safety of those in custody. It said any further action, including criminal referrals or administrative penalties, would follow the Board of Inquiry’s findings and the standard disciplinary procedures.
This is the latest development in a period of heightened scrutiny of corrections sector conduct in Fiji. In recent years, former corrections officers have faced criminal prosecution — three ex-officers were jailed in 2025 over the death of a remand prisoner at Natabua — and senior leadership has been caught up in misconduct probes, with the tribunal report into a suspended corrections commissioner still awaited earlier this year. Those prior cases have raised public concern about staff conduct and accountability inside correctional facilities.
Fiji Corrections Service officials said the move to suspend the nurses and reduce pay pending inquiry reflects internal safeguards designed to ensure allegations are investigated impartially while administrative controls remain in place. The service did not say whether external agencies would be asked to assist in the probe.
No formal complaints or charges have yet been announced by police or anti-corruption bodies in relation to the current allegations. The Board of Inquiry will determine whether the conduct, if substantiated, amounts to a breach of professional or criminal standards, and what disciplinary measures should follow. The service said it will provide updates as the inquiry progresses.
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