Fiji has reported a total of 38 road fatalities this year, a significant decrease from 62 during the same timeframe last year, following a recent incident.
On Tuesday morning, Setoki Niqara, a 27-year-old from Nailuva Village in Ra, lost his life in a collision on the Kings Highway, located between Nalawa, Ra, and Rakiraki Town.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police Mitieli Divuana, Niqara was a passenger in a vehicle with two others, being driven by a 28-year-old man. It is reported that as they were traveling from Rakiraki to Nalawa, the driver lost control while navigating a bend, leading the vehicle off the road and into a roadside market.
All individuals in the vehicle were transported to Rakiraki Hospital, where Niqara was declared dead. SSP Divuana noted that the driver and one passenger received medical treatment and were later discharged, while the second passenger was transferred to Lautoka Hospital.
Niqara was the youngest of five siblings and lived with his family in Rakiraki Town. His elder sister, Kelera Ragidrau, remembered him as a humble and kind individual. “It hurt us so much when we heard about his death, especially our parents. He was a very obedient man. I miss my brother,” she expressed.
SSP Divuana confirmed that investigations into the incident are ongoing.