Apenisa Waqairadovu 
The Acting Commissioner of the Fiji Corrections Service, Sevuloni Naucukidi, was not the original choice for the role.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka told FBC News that another officer had been selected following the suspension of Dr. Jalesi Nakarawa. However, that officer deferred, allowing Naucukidi to take up the acting position.
Naucukidi is currently under public scrutiny after a viral video surfaced showing him involved in a brawl at a Suva pub.
FBC News asked the Prime Minister whether he was aware of an alleged letter from Dr. Nakarawa, warning about Naucukidi’s conduct.
The letter is believed to have raised concerns that the acting commissioner was entering the office after hours following nights out.
Rabuka admits Naucukidi was approached and asked if he was ready to take on the role and, at the time, there were no formal concerns raised against him.
The Prime Minister also concedes that a more thorough vetting process should have been carried out.
“Maybe we failed in that just because we couldn’t appoint this one, we said, ‘Oh, so-and-so might be better.’ In the meantime, we didn’t check whether that person was actually suited to take over as acting Commissioner of Corrections.”
Rabuka says he does not believe there was any deliberate interference by the Secretariat that could have influenced the appointment.
He confirms that investigations into Naucukidi’s conduct are ongoing.
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