THE body of a man found in a drain near Narewa Village in Nadi on Saturday has been identified.
Fiji Police Force spokesman, Inspector Atunaisa Sokomuri said the deceased was Jonetani Bai.
Insp Sokomuri said the deceased was believed to have consumed alcohol on Saturday morning prior to being discovered by a passerby.
"Mr Bai, 27, was a handyman at Ratu Navula College," he said.
"We have determined that he was drinking alcohol on Saturday morning before his body was discovered later that day.
"There were no visible injuries to his body and investigations into his death are continuing at the present time," said Insp Sokomuri.
According to the deceased's former flat-mate, Emosi Lasaqa, Mr Bai had been an avid churchgoer and was very religious for many years but had begun indulging in alcohol recently for reasons unknown to him.
"He was a person of sober habits and was very kind and a gentle soul," he said.
"He was also very religious and I was very surprised when he suddenly took up drinking alcohol recently.
"I am very shocked by the news of his death and I know his family that lives in Suva will be too," said Mr Lasaqa.