Four police officers in Fiji are facing serious charges, including assault causing actual bodily harm, rape, and receiving bribes. This alarming incident has emerged alongside the Fiji Police Force’s overall crime statistics for October, highlighting various concerning trends.
During this reporting period, there were 22 instances of serious assaults on police officers. However, drug-related offenses dominated the reported cases, with marijuana being involved in 160 incidents, 20 cases related to methamphetamine, and one case concerning cocaine.
Significantly, crimes against children saw a distressing 39 percent increase. Within this category, around 64 percent were sexual offenses, 28 percent related to assaults, and 8 percent encompassed other types of offenses. The majority of these cases stemmed from domestic environments, with 100 percent of the perpetrators identified as male family members. The data indicated that victims included 90 girls and 78 boys.
Crimes against women also rose slightly, by 0.5 percent. Assaults accounted for 85 percent of these incidents, with domestic violence cases reflecting 36 percent, often perpetrated by intimate partners or relatives.
Overall, serious crimes increased by 17 percent, sexual offenses surged by 32 percent, and domestic violence against women and children escalated by 42 percent. Encouragingly, cases of robbery and aggravated robbery reported a decline during this same period.
Acting Commissioner of Police, Juki Fong Chew, highlighted that the rising number of drug-related cases correlates with intensified efforts against drug trafficking and consumption, particularly in the Southern, Western, and Central Divisions. He emphasized the importance of community collaboration in tackling crime and addressing its underlying causes.
Chew expressed commitment to engaging with various stakeholders to ensure a concerted effort toward establishing safer communities, especially as preparations for the festive season begin. He noted, “This is the way forward, as we need to work together for the sake of safe communities.”
In summary, while Fiji faces serious challenges regarding crime, the police’s proactive stance and community engagement signal a hopeful path forward in creating safer environments for all citizens.
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