Authorities are set to investigate an alleged sexual harassment complaint filed by a contestant from the Miss Hibiscus pageant. Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro confirmed that a report was submitted to the Totogo Police Station on Friday, and the investigation is currently in progress.
The allegations emerged after one contestant claimed to have been ‘groped’ during the crowning night on September 7, where she stated that a guest ‘jabbed’ her on the back. The matter caught the attention of the Minister for Local Government, Maciu Nalumisa, who then initiated an internal investigation.
Minister Nalumisa emphasized the importance of professionalism and the need to protect the well-being of all contestants. “We will get to the bottom and find out what really happened,” he stated, expecting the investigation to conclude within the week.
In the past week, Mr. Nalumisa reached out to Tevita Boseiwaqa, the chairperson of the Suva City Council special administration, who is also involved in the investigation. The contestant has formally lodged her complaint with the police, initially planning to wait for a witness’s return from abroad before proceeding. However, after discussions with her family, she decided to report the incident without further delay.
The contestant alleges that an intoxicated man jabbed her and that she promptly notified event officials about the incident. Minister Nalumisa commented that alcohol consumption should never be used as an excuse for such inappropriate conduct.