Praneeta Prakash 
Justice Minister Siromi Turaga. [Photo: FILE]
Justice Minister Siromi Turaga has defended the use of immunity in major drug cases, saying it is a critical tool used to dismantle larger criminal networks involved in the illicit trade.
In his ministerial statement in parliament yesterday, Turaga stressed that immunity is not granted to protect criminals, but to secure evidence and cooperation needed to prosecute those most responsible.
He says immunity decisions are carefully considered and come with strict conditions.
“Each immunity offer is contingent upon certain conditions. Those conditions must be adhered to by all accused individuals who receive it.”
Turaga says the main aim is to ensure the State can present a strong and complete case in court.
“Each decision to grant immunity is made with a single objective in mind, to guarantee that the State can present its case to the court in a manner that is fair, complete, and convincing.”
Turaga also referred to the successful prosecution of the 4.5-tonne methamphetamine importation case, describing it as an example of the scale and sophistication of transnational drug operations linked to Fiji.
