9 Jul 2013

Fiji Corrections silent on visiting restrictions

1:30 pm on 9 July 2013

The Fiji Corrections Service has declined to comment about allegations that the mother of a prisoner has not been allowed to visit him.

Viriseni Vakarau says she has only spoken to her son, Iowane Benedito, on the phone since he was beaten as shown in a video leaked online in March

The beating was allegedly carried out by Fiji police after they recaptured him.

Ms Vakarau told FijiVillage that she and her daughter went to Korovou to visit her son in March, but were told that he had been transferred to Naboro, where she was stopped.

She checked again in May with the Officer in Charge and was told she could not visit Benedito.

However, in a statement to Fijivillage, the Corrections Service says Benedito is being allowed visitations but he has not been visited.

Ms Vakarau says she plans to file an official complaint with the Fiji Police Force.