News

Suva CID team to investigate fatal accident

June 7, 2022 4:30 pm

Choteh Lal (left) and his brother Jawahir Lal at the scene of the accident.

A team from the Criminal Investigations Department from Suva will be conducting the investigation into the fatal accident at Korotari, outside Labasa on Sunday.

Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro confirms, that the Commissioner of Police Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho gave the directive to the Chief of Investigations and Intelligence today.

The directive was made after the analysis of the initial incident report.

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The victim, identified as Jone Rusiate or John Pelo as he is known in Labasa died at the Labasa Hospital on Sunday night.

It’s alleged he was run over by the vehicle driven by a 58-year-old along the Nasikasika Cane Access Road following a collision with another vehicle driven by Nasikasika cane farmer Choteh Lal.

Lal’s lawyer Sushil Sharma this morning released a statement requesting for a free, fair and independent investigation into the fatal accident, claiming the suspect has influence and status within the Labasa community.

The statement also calls on Police to provide security to Lal’s family as they have been living in fear after the fatal accident.

The family claims they were verbally assaulted and threatened by the suspect who was intoxicated and he allegedly rammed his car into their vehicle twice.

The statement says the third time, the suspect allegedly tried to run into Lal and his brother who had come out of their vehicle and were standing on the side of the road.

In the process of reversing, the side of the suspect’s vehicle allegedly hit the victim who was standing on the opposite side of the road.

Lal also claims, the suspect bit his finger during an altercation after the incident.

The suspect, who was admitted in hospital yesterday has been released and is yet to be taken in for questioning.