A devastating event at the Savusavu Police Station has left a family mourning and the local community reeling. Marika Radua, a farmer from Naviavia Settlement in Cakaudrove, tragically passed away on Tuesday after an alleged assault by a cellmate.
Radua had been taken into custody earlier that day for a reported offense and had been detained for nearly six hours. His aunt, Unaisi Solaila, explained that her cousin Samuela Male visited Radua and found him in a cell with two other individuals, one of whom is believed to have mental health challenges. Male recounted hearing Radua’s desperate cries for help around 11 am but hesitated to intervene due to fears of potential consequences. An hour later, law enforcement officials carried Radua’s lifeless body from the cell.
“He was treated like rubbish,” lamented Solaila. “It was evident that he was already deceased.” The family is now left with haunting questions: What were the police doing during the alleged attack? Why was a mentally challenged person placed in the same cell as other detainees? And why did no one respond to Radua’s desperate pleas for help?
Expressing her cousin’s regret for not having acted sooner, Solaila voiced the family’s frustration: “People should feel safe in police custody. How could this happen?”
The tragedy has sparked significant outrage within the community, with demands for a comprehensive restructuring of personnel at the Savusavu Police Station. Shiu Shankar Singh, the Town Council’s special administrator, noted his longstanding concerns about police misconduct, stating, “For months, I’ve raised issues about police misconduct in Savusavu, but nothing has changed. This is a serious problem.”
Following the incident, Acting Police Commissioner Juki Fong Chew has announced a Criminal Investigations Department (CID) inquiry into the matter. The police have stated that Radua was allegedly assaulted by another detainee before officers rushed him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Pravesh Sharma, chairperson of the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission, has also raised alarms, commenting, “This incident brings to light crucial concerns about safety protocols within police custody. The State holds responsibility for individuals in their custody.”
Adding to their sorrow, Radua’s family is still grappling with the aftermath of losing their home in a recent fire, now compounded by the loss of a cherished family member in such tragic circumstances.
This heartbreaking incident serves as a critical reminder of the importance of accountability within law enforcement. While navigating the aftermath can be incredibly challenging, there remains hope for systemic changes that could prevent similar tragedies in the future, restoring the community’s faith in safety and justice.
The call for reforms and increased oversight could potentially lead to enhanced measures that ensure the protection of individuals in custody, which is a hope many in the community now harbor.
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