The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) is conducting an internal investigation following the disappearance of a pistol from its armoury at the Blackrock Camp in Nadi on September 25. The missing firearm, identified as a U.S. 9mm M9 Beretta, was allegedly taken without authorization by an air-conditioning technician, Sitiveni Tavakece, from Solovi, Nadi.
Tavakece pleaded guilty to the theft and was sentenced to jail by the Nadi Magistrate’s Court. Fortunately, the missing pistol has since been returned to the RFMF. An RFMF spokesperson indicated that those responsible for the security breach would be held accountable, confirming that other items were also reported missing from the camp.
“The RFMF acknowledges the incident regarding the missing pistol and is conducting an internal investigation to clarify the facts,” stated the spokesperson. “We assure the public that this is an isolated incident and they need not be concerned.”
Pio Tikoduadua, the Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration, also reassured the public, emphasizing that all RFMF arms are stored securely. He expressed that such incidents raise questions about public safety and highlighted that measures are being implemented to prevent future occurrences.
On the preceding Friday, the Nadi Magistrate’s Court sentenced Tavakece, 24, to nine months and 19 days in prison for illegally removing the pistol. He appeared before Magistrate Semi Babitu on charges of theft and possession of arms without a license, to which he confessed.
The court revealed that Tavakece took the pistol valued at $1,500 along with three souvenir medals belonging to the RFMF. In addition to his prison sentence, he was fined $1,000 on the third count.
The Beretta M9, the specific model involved, is a semi-automatic pistol used by the U.S. Armed Forces since its adoption as their service pistol in 1985. It features a short recoil action and is designed for both right and left-handed shooters.