News

Four allege wrongful detainment by police

October 26, 2020 6:24 am

Four men who were working late in Suva on Friday night claim they were wrongfully detained at the Totogo Police Station after being falsely accused of breaching curfew.

Four men who were working late in Suva last Friday night claim they were wrongfully detained at the Totogo Police Station.

This is after being falsely accused of breaching curfew.

The men who wish to remain anonymous approached FBC News to raise concerns about the manner in which they were treated by the senior officers at the station.

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Two of them told FBC News they had gone to the police station before 11pm, but were instead arrested and detained overnight.

They went to the station because they couldn’t find a taxi home and thought the police may be able to help.

“He was so rude and he said okay just take him inside in the cell. Since its curfew hours and why are they roaming around here? In fact, we were not roaming around there. We were walking to the station. He does not want to listen. What they did was take all our stuff put in a cabinet and for us gang to be in the cell.”

Before leaving their office, the four had already called the police command centre informing them of their situation since their transport was running late.

“They tell us to go to the nearest police station. So Totogo was nearest to us. We went there before 11pm. They have advised us to go to the station before 11 pm. If you go after 11 pm – you going to break curfew. So we were there two minutes before and that two minute counts.”

The men have also raised concerns regarding the behaviour of some police officers at the station calling it unjust and rude.

“As soon as we reach there, they said look at the time already 11 pm passed. You gang break curfew. Come vesu mada. They didn’t want to hear our side of the story.”

It was very rude, unethical. In the police logo, it says serving the people. It was not serving the people and it was totally opposite.

The four men were released from the Totogo Police Station on Saturday afternoon after 18 hours of being detained.

Police are investigating these claims and Acting Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu has directed a full report be submitted to him regarding the circumstances surrounding the alleged detainment.