27 Feb 2017

Fiji opposition MP wants independent inquiry into police brutality

11:14 am on 27 February 2017

An opposition politician in Fiji is calling for an independent parliamentary committee to investigate the state's responses to police brutality

The leader of the Fiji National Federation Party, Biman Prasad.

The leader of the Fiji National Federation Party, Biman Prasad. Photo: RNZ / Sally Round

The police force has been plagued by regular cases of brutality and torture, most recently involving a teenager who died in a police custody nearly two weeks ago.

But the leader of the National Federation Party, Biman Prasad, said investigations were often mishandled and the public was losing faith in the police force.

"The way in which victims have been made to run around and many of them have come to us and given us the appropriate information, we believe that the victims as well as the public seems to be losing confidence in the current procedures for investigation that we see happening."

Mr Prasad said an independent inquiry could call witnesses, establish whether abuses had been dealth with fairly, and work out an appropriate action plan.

He said he would submit a motion calling for a committee when parliament next sits in March.

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