The Commissioner of Police, Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho is assuring the public that any breach of the law by Police officers will be investigated promptly.

In a statement released last night, the Commissioner said he will personally oversee an investigation of a case of alleged police brutality whereby officers have seriously harmed a suspect of crime who was brought in for questioning at the Navua Police Station earlier this week.

Qiliho says he has directed the Director of Internal Affairs to conduct a thorough investigation and to determine the extent of the involvement of police officers, who the victim is claiming had arrested him from his home in Navua and during the questioning process had poured hot water on him whereby he sustained burns.

This alleged act if found to be true is unacceptable and deplorable the Commissioner says, and he will not allow any member of the Fiji Police Force to think that he or she is above the law.

In addition, the Commissioner says he has sent this warning to the senior officers on the front line in that there is no place in this institution for corrupt and irresponsible officers whose actions have tarnished the image of the institution and the hard and honest work put in by many other officers.

Police officers Qiliho says are well versed with their roles in upholding and respecting the rights of those who are brought into our custody, and any officer whose actions contravene these rights will be dealt with severely through our internal disciplinary processes and brought before the court of law to answer to their crime.

The Commissioner also stressed that at a time when we are calling for support for the work of our police officers, we cannot be seen to be breaching the very laws that we swore an oath to uphold and once those involved are identified, I will remove them from the Force while they await the outcomes of the criminal investigation that is running concurrently to the internal investigation.

The Commissioner reiterating that he wants to personally assure members of the public that any breach of the law by Fijian Police officers will be given priority in terms of investigations which he will personally oversee.