POLICE have confirmed no special investigation is being conducted to determine whether or not excessive force was used during a joint operation between police and the military to recapture the five inmates who escaped from the Naboro correction facility last month.
Chief operations officer Assistant Superintendent of Police Rusiate Tudravu however, said the force was conducting its own internal workshops to educate their officers on how they could be more proactive to avoid situations where members of the public were put at risk when inmates were on the run.
When asked whether an investigation would be carried out after one of the escapees, Epeli Qaraniqio's leg was amputated, ASP Tudravu said: "Having one of his leg amputated does not mean an investigation should be carried out to those who were involved in his recapture."
"There is no investigation as such," ASP Tudravu said.
"The board of inquiry is carrying out its own internal investigations, and we are also assessing our own operations to see how we can strengthen our work when dealing with this kind of situation," he said.
Five inmates allegedly escaped from the Naboro Medium prison last month. Four of them were recaptured on an island outside of Lami while the fifth escapee was arrested at Laqere.
"The investigation was being carried out internally so that we can make recommendations on how we can perform better if the need arises or in the next operation," ASP Tudravu said.
He said the internal investigations carried out by the police board of inquiry would better assess the situation and would also be able to help the police force understand if there were other illegal activities being carried out during the recapture of the five inmates.
Meanwhile, permanent secretary for Information Sharon Smith-Johns said if police were not going to investigate the matter, "I will leave it there and will not make any further comments".