The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) have teamed up to improve investigative and prosecutorial skills in response to the rising crime rates in the country. This week, they are conducting a training program in Suva.
The training, which began on Monday at Suvavou House, includes participants from police investigations, the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), Fiji Revenue and Customs Services (FRCS), and ODPP prosecutors.
Acting Commissioner of Police Sakeo Raikaci, who officiated the event, stated, “The training is designed to assist investigators and prosecutors in understanding information gathering and litigation under the Proceeds of Crimes Act.”
The training consists of two focused sessions. AFP’s senior liaison officer, Detective Superintendent Adrian Morton, noted that the specialized training would provide effective tools for handling money laundering and asset confiscation. “The AFP has adopted the philosophy that following the money and seizing assets will diminish the capacity of crime syndicates to profit from their activities,” Superintendent Morton remarked.
He added, “With the two workshops running this week, we are eager to see how each agency collaborates to improve the forfeiture of assets from those benefiting from crime in Fiji.”
Acting DPP Nancy Tikoisuva emphasized the necessity of building capacity to enhance skills in tackling the growing crime rate.