Police recover body of teenager who is believed to have been electrocuted
Laisiasa Rokobisa, 15, was preparing for his first day in school not knowing his life would end in the flooded waters of Waioli River in Lutu Village, Naitasiri yesterday morning. Village headman, Tevita Raisuqe, 53 confirmed to the Fiji Sun that between 2.30pm – 3pm yesterday, police officers and divers found the body of the Nayala Secondary School student.
Mr Raisuqe described the situation as an unexpected event, because ‘Lai’s” parents had just bought his school items and were looking forward to taking him to school.
Mr Raisuqe explained there was a power outage in the village from 5am to 7am yesterday and an electrical power line was connected from Lutu Village to villages uphill such as Nukuloa.
“When the river is flooded, the water level can reach the power lines and when you sit in a fibre boat a lot of people can unconsciously touch the powerline,” he said. “When Lai touched the powerline the woman sitting in the boat witnessed it, she panicked when she saw him being electrocuted and jumped into the river to swim to land.”
Mr Raisuqe said Lai is believed to have been electrocuted and fell into the river.
Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro confirmed that resources and manpower were deployed to search for the teenager in Waioli River after it was reported that he had touched a live electric power line and had been swept away by the current. Lai was the eldest of five siblings. Vunidawa Primary School teacher Rijavale Bera described Lai as a good and humble child. He was the former head boy of Lutu District Primary in 2016.