Minister for iTaukei Affairs Ifereimi Vasu has formally asked the Fiji Police Force to investigate allegations levelled against him by his own ministry’s Permanent Secretary, marking a new phase in an unfolding workplace and political dispute that has spilled into the public sphere.
The complaint follows a Facebook post last Friday by Permanent Secretary Jone Navakamocea in which he accused Vasu of damaging his reputation, questioned the minister’s leadership and called him a “coward”. Navakamocea also alleged that Vasu has links to businessman Jason Zhong — a figure who has been the subject of previous reporting and police attention over convictions and separate anti-corruption inquiries. The accusations were made publicly and quickly drew scrutiny both inside government circles and online.
In response, the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs issued a statement confirming that Vasu had requested a police probe. The ministry said the step was taken “to ensure transparency and proper legal handling of the matter”, that it supports an independent investigation and expressed confidence that the truth will emerge. The statement also urged the public to refrain from sharing unverified information while the case is examined.
The Fiji Police Force confirmed that Vasu met with Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu to lodge a formal complaint. Police said all allegations set out by the Permanent Secretary will be analysed and that a team from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) will examine whether any criminal elements are present. If the CID finds evidence of offences, those matters will be investigated further, police indicated.
The dispute adds a fresh dimension to earlier scrutiny over the minister’s alleged association with Zhong. International reporting and earlier local stories referenced a 2020 police document and other records linking Zhong to past sex- and drug-trafficking convictions and to allegations of attempts to bribe officials. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka previously said he would consider an investigation into any professional ties if formal allegations were brought to his attention; Vasu’s decision to file a police complaint now makes the matter an official, investigable dispute rather than a series of social-media accusations.
The episode also revives broader tensions over how serious allegations involving senior officials should be handled. In recent months the Fiji Police Force has moved to treat social-media claims with caution, urging complainants to file formal reports so allegations can be properly assessed — and warning in other cases that unfounded accusations can carry consequences. The involvement of the CID in analysing Navakamocea’s claims signals authorities intend to treat the Permanent Secretary’s public allegations as potentially criminal in nature rather than purely administrative or political.
What happens next will depend on the CID’s analysis and whether evidence emerges that warrants criminal charges or further administrative action. The ministry has positioned the police probe as the route to establishing facts and restoring public confidence; Navakamocea’s public allegations remain unproven, and Vasu’s complaint makes the matter a formal police responsibility for the first time.
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