Warning time is over, sporting activities will Get You Arrested: Qiliho

Touch rugby and soccer will get you arrested, said Police commissioner Brigadier -General Sitiveni Qiliho as 24 juveniles were arrested from Lami breaching COVID-19 directives. A 14-year-old is the youngest among the 22 juveniles and 17 adults that were arrested by the police for playing touch rugby on

Nukuwatu Beach in Lami on Thursday. “The time for warnings is over, and we will not hesitate to arrest anyone found breaching COVID-19 restrictions as we cannot afford to be complacent,” said Brigadier General Qiliho.

Parents in Suvavou Village are in shock as their children have been kept at different police stations, some of them still wearing the wet clothes they were arrested in. Suvavou Village headman (turaga-ni-koro)

Vereti Dumaru said he had visited family members and homes in the village reminding of the need to follow the directives given by the Government regarding COVID-19. He said the boys had gone swimming and were supposed to come home.

“Some parents were able to take dry clothes to their children. Those under 18 years are being kept at Lami Police Station while others in Suva,” he said.

“The parents are worried that some of them are still wearing the same clothes.” Mr Dumaru said the boys had started afternoon touch rugby on Tuesday and then played on Wednesday and finally got arrested on Thursday.

Arrests for breach

There were 54 arrests in the Southern Division of the total 57 in the 24 hours ending yesterday morning.

40 arrests were for sporting activities. 39 from Lami while one from Hedstrom Place in Samabula, others playing touch rugby had quickly dispersed as police arrived.

The Western Division recorded two cases of breach of curfew while Central recorded one.

Parents in Suvavou Village are in shock as their children have been kept at different police stations, some of them still wearing the wet clothes they were arrested in