5 COPS AMONG THE 56 PEOPLE WHO WERE CHARGED IN MARCH

A 52-YEAR-OLD POLICE OFFICER WAS CHARGED WITH THEFT OF $3600 CASH FROM PROCEEDS OF DRUG CRIME

Fifty-six people were charged with a total of 65 counts of separate incidents in the month of March. The offences were murder (3), attempted murder (1), manslaughter (1) aggravated robbery (14), robbery (1), aggravated burglary (8), attempted aggravated burglary (1), burglary (4), theft (13), arson (1), assault (1), serious assault (1), act with intent to cause grievous harm (1), forgery (5), obtaining by deception (1), dangerous driving (1), careless driving (2), unlawful cultivation of illicit drugs (3), unlawful possession of illicit drugs (2) and unlawful importation of illicit drugs (1).

This data is authorised for release by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and relates to the number of formal indictments (Information) filed in the High Courts of Fiji by the Director of Public Prosecutions throughout the month. This data is confined to incidents of serious crimes other than sexual violence offences which are recorded and published separately. This data also includes offences committed by Police officers.

Of the 56 accused persons, five were juveniles and five were Police officers. The juveniles were charged with aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary and theft offences.

Police officers charged

A 37-year-old and a 38-year-old Police officer were charged with careless driving while a 37-year-old Police officer was charged with dangerous driving.

A 52-year-old Police officer was charged with the theft of $3600 cash from the proceeds of drug crime.

A 39-year-old Police officer was charged with five counts of forgery and one count of obtaining financial advantage by deception. It is alleged that the Police officer forged documents to falsely claim he was attending court proceedings in order to take leave to visit his family.

Murder and attempted murder

There were 36 victims of the 65 counts of separate incidents. There were four incidents where the accused and the victims were related to one another.

A 41-year-old man was charged with the murder of his 32-year-old wife. The accused allegedly stabbed his wife with a knife.

A 34-year-old man was charged with the murder of his 35-year-old cousin after a drinking party while a 36-year-old man was charged with the murder of his 22-year-old cousin after the accused allegedly hit his cousin with a boat oar repeatedly which resulted in his death.

There was one incident where a 42-year-old man was charged with the attempted murder of his 41-year-old wife. The accused allegedly attempted to kill his wife with a hammer. The accused also faces a charge of serious assault for assaulting a Police officer while resisting arrest.

There was one incident where a 30-year-old man was charged with the manslaughter of a 23- yearold man. The accused was also charged with one count of robbery. The accused allegedly punched the victim while robbing him of his mobile phone causing the victim to fall back and hit his head on the pavement which resulted in his death. A 30-year-old man was charged with arson for allegedly setting fire to his 40-year-old landlord’s house causing damage of $18,000.

A 26-year-old man was charged with an act with intent to cause grievous harm to his 39-yearold girlfriend. The accused allegedly stabbed his girlfriend with a knife.

Drug related charges and theft

A 28-year-old man was charged with the unlawful cultivation of 7.6 kilograms of cannbis sativa while in another incident, a 52-year-old man was charged with unlawful cultivation of 7 kilograms of cannabis sativa.

There was one incident where a 31-year-old man was charged with the unlawful importation of illicit drugs. The accused allegedly imported 1.6 kilograms of Butyrolactone which is an illicit substance. Cash and assorted items ranging from $5 to over $9000 were stolen during the alleged aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary and theft offences which consisted of home invasions, vehicle robberies and daylight and night street robberies.

Six cases were withdrawn after discontinuances (Nolle Prosequi) were filed due to insufficient evidence.