HUMAN Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission director Ashwin Raj says investigations into claims police poured hot water on a suspect have begun.
He said the commission was aware of the case and was conducting investigations into the man’s claims.
“The commission this morning (yesterday) visited Navua Police Station and checked their records and confirms that the alleged victim of brutality was arrested on the morning of 4 November, 2019, and was taken to the Pacific Harbour Police Post and interrogated by three police officers,” he said.
“The investigations team also interviewed the alleged victim as well as medical professionals at the Navua Hospital today (yesterday).”
Mr Raj said the investigations team would file a report after it concluded investigations over the weekend.
“The commission strongly condemns all acts of torture and brutality and as it has procedurally in all such matters, the commission will conduct its investigations and where there is sufficient evidence of human rights violations, will institute proceedings.”
In a statement issued on Thursday, Police Commissioner Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho said he would personally oversee the investigation of the alleged police brutality case.
“At a time when we are calling for support for the work of our police officers, we cannot be seen to be breaching the very laws that we swore an oath to uphold and once those involved are identified, I will remove them from the force while they await the outcomes of the criminal investigation that is running concurrently to the internal investigation,” he said.
