More cases alert Police
Fresh complaints involve a group of women in Taveuni promising villagers of jobs overseas, in return for money.
More alleged cases of groups deceiving people for money and promising secured jobs overseas has put the Fiji Police Force on alert.
Chief Intelligence and Investigation, Acting Commissioner of Police (ACP) Vakacegu Toduadua, has warned that suspects caught in the act would face the law.
His warning is in response to a complaint lodged in Taveuni about the matter concerning a suspected group.
“A number of villages from Taveuni have lodged their complaints against the group and we will investigate this matter thoroughly,” ACP Toduadua said.
“This is something serious and we will not take this lightly. I advise the people of Fiji not to get influenced easily by these people.”
The illegal actions of the group in Taveuni surfaced after Save Gasaiwai, who lives in the United States, had visited his Waitabu Village and attended the meeting between the suspected group of women and the villagers last month.
As the Gasaiwai family continuously bombarded the suspects with various questions, the group were speechless and left abruptly. They have not visited the village or called back since then.
“We have received a lot of complaints in regards to this group who have been duping people and promising them work visa. The Ministry of Labour has lodged complaints with us. We have interviewed the person alleged in this case and has been released,” ACP Toduadua said.
“We have done our investigation and have forward the files to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
“They knew that their operation was detected in Viti Levu and that is why they have gone to Vanua Levu.”
There was one prosecution made against a woman of Naselai Village, Nausori, who was found guilty of recruiting workers without any authorisation as per Section 37 (4) and (5) of the Employment Relations Act 2007 in September 2018. She was fined $3000.
However, it is alleged that she continues to deceive people today.