The Fiji Police Force has raised concerns about a notable increase in crimes against children, reporting a 25 percent rise in such offenses last month. Acting Commissioner of Police Sakeo Raikaci revealed that there were 138 recorded incidents involving children, comprising 93 girls and 45 boys.
Among these cases, 54 percent were classified as sexual offenses, 33 percent were related to assault, and 13 percent fell into other categories. Additionally, 22 percent of the cases were domestic in nature, involving relationships such as cousins or parent-child dynamics.
Raikaci attributed the surge in crimes against children primarily to a rise in assault cases, which increased from 23 to 35, as well as a jump in abduction cases involving individuals under 18, which rose from 5 to 22. There was also an increase in reported sexual assaults, which rose from seven to 20.
Overall, the crime rate for last month saw an eight percent increase compared to the same time last year. Serious crimes escalated by 11 percent, while crimes against women rose by four percent.
In an effort to hold police officers accountable, Raikaci noted that five officers were charged last month for various offenses, including sexual crimes, assault, drug-related charges, and breaches of Domestic Violence Restraining Orders (DVRO). However, he also pointed out that police officers themselves have been victims of crime, with 25 cases of serious assault reported against them, along with one instance of obstruction and nine cases of resisting arrest.
Raikaci emphasized that policing is inherently challenging and that officers risk their safety while performing their duties, but they remain committed to serving their communities.
Regarding drug offenses, there were 143 cases recorded in August, which is an increase from the same period last year. Most of these cases (138) were related to the unlawful possession of illicit drugs, while five involved the unlawful cultivation of such substances. A total of 135 individuals were charged with drug-related offenses, with some facing multiple charges, including three students.
Raikaci acknowledged the support received from religious and community leaders in efforts to combat crime, stating the importance of collaboration to create safer communities. He urged the public to report suspicious activities and crimes through Crime Stoppers by calling 919 or 917.