Former senior police officer Isoa Natui has been acquitted of abuse of office charges after the prosecution failed to demonstrate that he personally benefited from his actions. The charges, brought by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), stemmed from an incident in 2020 where Mr. Natui was accused of unlawfully directing the release of $8,064.50 in cash held by the Fiji Police Force.
The funds in question were initially seized during a drug raid and were designated as unclaimed. According to police regulations, such money should have been deposited into the Government Revenue Account. Instead, Mr. Natui directed the funds to be allocated for operational equipment for the Southern Division Crime Unit in Nabua. The purchases included essential items like binoculars, Dell laptops, a printer, hard drives, an extension cord, and a Wi-Fi device, all of which were documented in the Nabua Police Station inventory.
In court, Mr. Natui explained that he acted out of necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when restrictions had heightened criminal activity and limited access to essential equipment for police work. Although he recognized the procedural error, he emphasized that his motives were grounded in operational need and that he returned the money once the breach was identified.
Magistrate Yogesh Prasad, in his ruling delivered on February 6, pointed out that the evidence did not indicate any malicious intent on Mr. Natui’s part. He stated, “The prosecution has not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused, through his actions, obtained any gain.”
This verdict sheds light on the complexities faced by law enforcement during challenging circumstances and highlights the importance of intent in legal proceedings.
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