The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) has initiated an internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the theft of a pistol from its armory at the Blackrock Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Camp in Nadi, which occurred on September 25.
The pistol, identified as a U.S. 9mm M9-BERETTA USA model, was taken from the camp without proper authorization by an air-conditioning technician, Sitiveni Tavakece, who resides in Solovi, Nadi. Following the incident, Tavakece was arrested, pleaded guilty to the charges, and was sentenced to jail by the Nadi Magistrate’s Court.
The RFMF confirmed that the stolen pistol has since been recovered. A spokesperson for the military said that efforts are underway to hold accountable those responsible for the security lapse, indicating that other items had also been reported missing from the facility.
The spokesperson commented, “The RFMF acknowledges the incident involving the missing pistol as reported to the Police. We are conducting our internal investigation to determine the facts surrounding the disappearance and assure the public that this is an isolated event.”
Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration Pio Tikoduadua assured citizens that all military firearms are securely stored, emphasizing that such incidents undermine public safety. He stated that measures are being implemented to prevent future occurrences, and conveyed his commitment to addressing gaps in the process.
In a court ruling, Tavakece, who is 24 years old, received a sentence of nine months and 19 days in prison for the illegal removal of the pistol and faced additional charges related to theft and possession of an unlicensed firearm. The court determined that he had unlawfully appropriated the pistol, valued at $1,500, along with three medals belonging to the RFMF. In addition to his prison sentence, he was fined $1,000 for one of the charges.
The Beretta M9, the model involved in this case, has been used by the United States Armed Forces since its adoption in 1985. It is a semi-automatic pistol equipped with a 15-round magazine and is designed for ambidextrous use.