The Criminal Investigations Department has launched an investigation following the discovery of missing cocaine exhibits kept in the custody of the Suva High Court.
7 cocaine bars missing from Suva High Court Exhibit RoomBy Vijay Narayan 16/09/2026
Suva High CourtThe Criminal Investigations Department has launched an investigation following the discovery of missing cocaine exhibits kept in the custody of the Suva High Court.
fijivillage News was alerted early this week about cocaine from Joshua Aziz Rahman's case allegedly missing from the Suva Court House.
We had then asked Police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The Office of the DPP said they were not aware of the allegations but we should check with Police as they are responsible for exhibits including storing and securing drugs.
We were told on Monday night that the drugs were not missing.
However Assistant Commissioner of Police Crime Loraini Seru now says a physical check of the exhibits was conducted on Tuesday, in the presence of senior judiciary officials, a senior official from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Police and an officer from the Crime Scene Investigations (CSI) capturing the inspection process.
It was discovered that the exhibits linked to a high-profile drug case had allegedly been tampered with.
It was also discovered that seven bars were missing from the initial thirty-nine exhibited to the Suva High Court Exhibit Room.
Investigations are underway by a team from the CID.
The Supreme Court had earlier restored Fiji-Canadian national Joshua Aziz Rahman’s conviction and sentence imposed by the High Court over the 39.5kg of cocaine worth $31 million found at a Caubati home in 2019.
The High Court sentenced Rahman to 23 years imprisonment in October 2021, with a non-parole period of 14 years, following his conviction.
Stay with us for developments.
BREAKING : All cocaine bars worth $31 million tampered with and missing from the Suva High Court Exhibit RoomFlour found in remaining 'cocaine' bars in the room
By Vijay Narayan 29/09/2026
A major development this afternoon as fijivillage News can now confirm that all the cocaine bars weighing 39.5kg and worth $31 million from Fiji-Canadian national Joshua Aziz Rahman's case have been tampered with and the bars in the Suva High Court Exhibit Room do not contain cocaine.
This means that 39 bars of cocaine are now missing.
We have been told that the 32 remaining bars that were in the exhibit room was filled with flour.
fijivillage News has been following this issue for a few weeks after serious concerns being raised about how drug exhibits are being stored, and the procedures surrounding that.
While answering our questions, Police have today confirmed that forensic tests conducted on the remaining drug exhibits have all returned negative which means that it is not cocaine.
Police confirm that the exhibits have all been tampered with and the investigation is focused on those directly charged with the management of the exhibits at the High Court Registry in Suva.
A person of interest allegedly involved in this shocking incident is currently overseas, and Police say the person will be questioned.
Two weeks ago, the Criminal Investigations Department launched an investigation following the discovery of missing cocaine exhibits kept in the custody of the Suva High Court.
fijivillage News was alerted earlier this month about the missing cocaine.
We had then asked Police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The Office of the DPP said they were not aware of the allegations but we should check with Police as they are responsible for exhibits including storing and securing drugs.
We were told on the 14th of this month that the drugs were not missing.
However, Assistant Commissioner of Police Crime Loraini Seru said on the 16th of this month that a physical check of the exhibits was conducted on the 15th, in the presence of senior judiciary officials, a senior official from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Police and an officer from the Crime Scene Investigations (CSI) capturing the inspection process.
It was discovered that the exhibits linked to a high-profile drug case had allegedly been tampered with.
It was also discovered that seven bars were missing from the initial thirty-nine exhibited to the Suva High Court Exhibit Room.
The Supreme Court had earlier restored Fiji-Canadian national Joshua Aziz Rahman's conviction and sentence imposed by the High Court over the 39.5kg of cocaine worth $31 million found at a Caubati home in 2019.
The High Court sentenced Rahman to 23 years imprisonment in October 2021, with a non-parole period of 14 years, following his conviction.
We have asked Police whether the person who removed the cocaine bars from the High Court Exhibit Room has been identified, and whether the person is an employee of the Judicial Department.
We have asked whether CCTV cameras were placed where the drugs went missing and whether the person fled the country.
fijivillage News has also asked for comments from Police on why the cocaine was still in storage after Joshua Aziz Rahman was sentenced in 2021 and why the drug was not destroyed after the case.
We have also asked when the High Court knew that the drugs were missing.
Chief Justice Salesi Temo had earlier said the prosecution failed to apply for the destruction of 39.5kg of cocaine during the early stages of the drug case.
He said those responsible for the missing exhibits will be taken to task.
Stay with us for developments.
2 cases of missing cocaine from Suva High Court valued at $50M highlights a major security concernCOMPOL says Police did not reveal March case to protect integrity of investigation process
By Vijay Narayan 30/09/2026
Fiji is now dealing with a major issue after revelations today that we have two cases of cocaine missing with a total value of almost $50 million from the Suva High Court Exhibit Room – in one case, the Police and authorities had not revealed to the public since March this year that 12.9 kilograms of cocaine had gone missing, and in the second case, 39.5 kilograms of cocaine were missing from the Joshua Aziz Rahman case.
Acting Director CID, Acting Senior Superintendent of Police, Peni Tuivaga today confirmed that 12.9 kilograms of cocaine was reported missing from the High Court Exhibit Room from the John Nikolic case, and a report was lodged by Chief Registrar, Tomasi Bainivalu on the 26th of March this year.
He says they are following up some leads and got some statements of witnesses.
SSP Tuivaga says it could be the same thing happening with the other case, and they are still investigating.
When asked by fijivillage News on why the people have not been informed about this since March this year, SSP Tuivaga says in some investigations, they do not want to put out the information because there are some suspects out there who might get to know the information.
He says all the cocaine is stolen in this case.
Looking at the second case - fijivillage News was informed on the 14th of September this year that the cocaine from the Joshua Aziz Rahman case was missing.
Rahman was sentenced in 2021.
When we asked Police Commissioner, Rusiate Tudravu today on when the Judicial Department gave the information to the police that the drugs were missing from the Rahman case, he said that he can only confirm that they found out that the drugs were missing when they checked the exhibit room on the 15th of September this year, and then found 7 bars missing.
Tudravu says there was CCTV and biometrics installed at the Court House Exhibit Room, but most of them were not in operation.
When asked by fijivillage News whether the CCTV and biometrics were tampered with, Tudravu says that will be determined during the forensic investigation.
He also stresses that once police hand over the exhibits to the courts, it is the judiciary that is supposed to be doing the checks.
Tudravu says police also do not provide security at the court exhibit rooms.
However he confirms they are now in the process of discussing the security arrangements for the court exhibit rooms.
Totogo Police are now providing security at the Suva Court House.
He says they had a discussion with the Acting Attorney General, Acting DPP and the Permanent Secretatry for Justice, and how they can set up the security measures going forward.
When asked on whether there will be a full audit of all the exhibits in the courts as we have cases here of cocaine missing and flour filled in bars, Tudravu says for transparency and checking purposes, the judiciary should look at a full audit of all exhibits.
He confirms that checks are being conducted at all police exhibit rooms around the country.
Tudravu says he is concerned and he wants all the drug exhibits to be centralised.
He says that is the strategy and to ensure they are not kept at the individial police stations but he cannot comment on the judiciary.
There are 6 persons of interest from the Judicial Department in relation to the 39 missing cocaine bars from the Rahman case valued at $31 million - with 32 bars filled with flour.
1 of them is overseas and is allegedly related to a senior official.
Questions are being asked about when this person left the country.
Tudravu says the 6 had access to the exhibit room.
He says people should not assume anything and trust the process.
When asked on why the case of 12.9 kilograms of cocaine was being kept as a secret from March this year and a confirmation on the latest case regarding the Rahman drugs only came out when fijivillage News started asking questions from the 14th of September, Tudravu says nothing is being kept as a secret as once a report is lodged, they do their investigations.
Tudravu says the public does not have to know all reports because it can jeopardise the investigations.
He says they assess first as they are the ones who let the public know, not for the people to dictate to the police, and the integrity of the process has to be protected because police take people to court so if they say to the public or not, that is their prerogative but for transparency, progress on cases will be given out when asked.
When asked on drugs missing from March and we are then stumbling into another one, Tudravu says it is very concerning, and he only hopes that people understand that all these things happening is a great concern to the Police.
Tudravu says some people are saying they are hiding things, they are not investigating it quickly, and there seems to be a perception that they are part of this; however he says he is really serious about all this and they are investigating the cases.
The Police Commissioner says all of them are concerned – and he and the government are concerned but they cannot fast-track this.
We have sought comments from Chief Justice Salesi Temo and Chief Registrar, Tomasi Bainivalu.
Stay with us for developments.
2 cases of missing cocaine from Suva High Court valued at $50M highlights a major security concernCOMPOL says Police did not reveal March case to protect integrity of investigation process
By Vijay Narayan 30/09/2026Fiji is now dealing with a major issue after revelations today that we have two cases of cocaine missing with a total value of almost $50 million from the Suva High Court Exhibit Room – in one case, the Police and authorities had not revealed to the public since March this year that 12.9 kilograms of cocaine had gone missing, and in the second case, 39.5 kilograms of cocaine were missing from the Joshua Aziz Rahman case.
Acting Director CID, Acting Senior Superintendent of Police, Peni Tuivaga today confirmed that 12.9 kilograms of cocaine was reported missing from the High Court Exhibit Room from the John Nikolic case, and a report was lodged by Chief Registrar, Tomasi Bainivalu on the 26th of March this year.
He says they are following up some leads and got some statements of witnesses.
SSP Tuivaga says it could be the same thing happening with the other case, and they are still investigating.
When asked by fijivillage News on why the people have not been informed about this since March this year, SSP Tuivaga says in some investigations, they do not want to put out the information because there are some suspects out there who might get to know the information.
He says all the cocaine is stolen in this case.
Looking at the second case - fijivillage News was informed on the 14th of September this year that the cocaine from the Joshua Aziz Rahman case was missing.
Rahman was sentenced in 2021.
When we asked Police Commissioner, Rusiate Tudravu today on when the Judicial Department gave the information to the police that the drugs were missing from the Rahman case, he said that he can only confirm that they found out that the drugs were missing when they checked the exhibit room on the 15th of September this year, and then found 7 bars missing.
Tudravu says there was CCTV and biometrics installed at the Court House Exhibit Room, but most of them were not in operation.
When asked by fijivillage News whether the CCTV and biometrics were tampered with, Tudravu says that will be determined during the forensic investigation.
He also stresses that once police hand over the exhibits to the courts, it is the judiciary that is supposed to be doing the checks.
Tudravu says police also do not provide security at the court exhibit rooms.
However he confirms they are now in the process of discussing the security arrangements for the court exhibit rooms.
Totogo Police are now providing security at the Suva Court House.
He says they had a discussion with the Acting Attorney General, Acting DPP and the Permanent Secretatry for Justice, and how they can set up the security measures going forward.
When asked on whether there will be a full audit of all the exhibits in the courts as we have cases here of cocaine missing and flour filled in bars, Tudravu says for transparency and checking purposes, the judiciary should look at a full audit of all exhibits.
He confirms that checks are being conducted at all police exhibit rooms around the country.
Tudravu says he is concerned and he wants all the drug exhibits to be centralised.
He says that is the strategy and to ensure they are not kept at the individial police stations but he cannot comment on the judiciary.
There are 6 persons of interest from the Judicial Department in relation to the 39 missing cocaine bars from the Rahman case valued at $31 million - with 32 bars filled with flour.
1 of them is overseas and is allegedly related to a senior official.
Questions are being asked about when this person left the country.
Tudravu says the 6 had access to the exhibit room.
He says people should not assume anything and trust the process.
When asked on why the case of 12.9 kilograms of cocaine was being kept as a secret from March this year and a confirmation on the latest case regarding the Rahman drugs only came out when fijivillage News started asking questions from the 14th of September, Tudravu says nothing is being kept as a secret as once a report is lodged, they do their investigations.
Tudravu says the public does not have to know all reports because it can jeopardise the investigations.
He says they assess first as they are the ones who let the public know, not for the people to dictate to the police, and the integrity of the process has to be protected because police take people to court so if they say to the public or not, that is their prerogative but for transparency, progress on cases will be given out when asked.
When asked on drugs missing from March and we are then stumbling into another one, Tudravu says it is very concerning, and he only hopes that people understand that all these things happening is a great concern to the Police.
Tudravu says some people are saying they are hiding things, they are not investigating it quickly, and there seems to be a perception that they are part of this; however he says he is really serious about all this and they are investigating the cases.
The Police Commissioner says all of them are concerned – and he and the government are concerned but they cannot fast-track this.
We have sought comments from Chief Justice Salesi Temo and Chief Registrar, Tomasi Bainivalu.
Stay with us for developments.
CJ Temo confirms several measures being implemented after missing cocaine from High Court Exhibit RoomNo comments on whether full audit and tests of all drugs in the exhibit rooms will be conducted
By Vijay Narayan 02/10/2026
Chief
Justice Salesi Temo has today confirmed that the judiciary is implementing
measures after the disappearance of about $50 million worth of
cocaine from two
cases between March and September this year.
He
confirms that a comprehensive security assessment of court premises
nationwide is being done after the incidents at the Suva High Court
Exhibit Room; a review of exhibit handling, storage, retention, and
destruction procedures; upgrades to physical security infrastructure,
including enhanced access control systems for sensitive and
restricted areas; expansion and enhancement of CCTV coverage and
monitoring capabilities within court facilities; strengthening
chain-of-custody requirements and accountability measures for
exhibits; a review of staff access privileges, registry controls, and
security protocols; additional training and awareness programs for
staff responsible for exhibit management and security; and the
development of enhanced audit, compliance, and oversight mechanisms
to strengthen accountability and transparency.
Chief
Justice Temo says the judiciary is also assessing opportunities to
modernise registry operations through improved technology,
strengthened records management systems, enhanced inventory controls,
and other measures designed to reduce risk and improve operational
integrity.
He
says public confidence in the judiciary is fundamental to the rule of
law, and while the reported disappearance of exhibits is a matter of
serious concern, it is equally important that the response is
measured, professional, and focused on ensuring that such incidents
cannot be repeated.
He
says the judiciary views this matter with the utmost seriousness and
is committed to ensuring that the facts are thoroughly established
through the proper investigative process.
The
Chief Justice says at the same time, they are taking decisive steps
to strengthen security systems, modernise exhibit management
practices, and enhance accountability across all court facilities.
He
says they will continue to work closely with the Fiji Police Force
and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that any deficiencies
identified are addressed promptly and comprehensively.
Chief
Justice Temo says as investigations remain active, it would be
inappropriate to comment further on matters that may become the
subject of criminal proceedings.
He
confirms the judiciary is providing its full cooperation to the Fiji
Police Force as investigations continue.
The
Chief Justice says court officials have been directed to make
available all relevant records, documentation, and information
required by investigators, and the judiciary remains committed to
supporting a thorough, transparent, and independent investigation.
He
adds at this stage, the Police have advised that a number of persons
of interest have been identified however, it is important to note
that the concept of the rule of law, imported from Great Britain
since the Deed of Cession in 1874, demands that persons of interest,
are treated fairly within the four corners of the law.
Chief
Justice Temo says that means that every person, who may later be
accused of a crime, are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond
reasonable doubt, in a court of law; not in the court of social
media.
He
says should the investigation establish sufficient evidence of
criminal wrongdoing, it will be for the Office of the Director of
Public Prosecutions to independently determine whether charges are to
be laid.
The
Chief Justice says if charges are laid by the Director of Public
Prosecutions, the judiciary will ensure that the trial is carried out
within a reasonable time, that is, a timeline under 2 years.
He
says all due processes will be observed for the prosecution and the
defence.
He
adds at the conclusion of the trial, the appeal process will also be
streamlined, a timeline of 12 months.
Chief
Justice Temo says this matter is deeply concerning.
He
says court exhibits are an integral part of the administration of
justice and the integrity of criminal proceedings.
He
adds their secure custody, management, and preservation are essential
to ensuring fair trials, protecting the rights of all parties,
maintaining public confidence in the justice system, and upholding
the rule of law.
fijivillage News has asked Chief Justice Temo on whether a full audit will be conducted at all court exhibit rooms, and whether all the drug exhibits will be tested to confirm that they are actually drugs. He has not responded to this.Â
Police investigations continue into the cases of the missing cocaine from the Suva Court House.
Stay with us for developments.
Chief Justice Salesi Temo has today confirmed that the judiciary is implementing measures after the disappearance of about $50 million worth of cocaine from two cases between March and September this year.
He confirms that a comprehensive security assessment of court premises nationwide is being done after the incidents at the Suva High Court Exhibit Room; a review of exhibit handling, storage, retention, and destruction procedures; upgrades to physical security infrastructure, including enhanced access control systems for sensitive and restricted areas; expansion and enhancement of CCTV coverage and monitoring capabilities within court facilities; strengthening chain-of-custody requirements and accountability measures for exhibits; a review of staff access privileges, registry controls, and security protocols; additional training and awareness programs for staff responsible for exhibit management and security; and the development of enhanced audit, compliance, and oversight mechanisms to strengthen accountability and transparency.
Chief Justice Temo says the judiciary is also assessing opportunities to modernise registry operations through improved technology, strengthened records management systems, enhanced inventory controls, and other measures designed to reduce risk and improve operational integrity.
He says public confidence in the judiciary is fundamental to the rule of law, and while the reported disappearance of exhibits is a matter of serious concern, it is equally important that the response is measured, professional, and focused on ensuring that such incidents cannot be repeated.
He says the judiciary views this matter with the utmost seriousness and is committed to ensuring that the facts are thoroughly established through the proper investigative process.
The Chief Justice says at the same time, they are taking decisive steps to strengthen security systems, modernise exhibit management practices, and enhance accountability across all court facilities.
He says they will continue to work closely with the Fiji Police Force and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that any deficiencies identified are addressed promptly and comprehensively.
Chief Justice Temo says as investigations remain active, it would be inappropriate to comment further on matters that may become the subject of criminal proceedings.
He confirms the judiciary is providing its full cooperation to the Fiji Police Force as investigations continue.
The Chief Justice says court officials have been directed to make available all relevant records, documentation, and information required by investigators, and the judiciary remains committed to supporting a thorough, transparent, and independent investigation.
He adds at this stage, the Police have advised that a number of persons of interest have been identified however, it is important to note that the concept of the rule of law, imported from Great Britain since the Deed of Cession in 1874, demands that persons of interest, are treated fairly within the four corners of the law.
Chief Justice Temo says that means that every person, who may later be accused of a crime, are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt, in a court of law; not in the court of social media.
He says should the investigation establish sufficient evidence of criminal wrongdoing, it will be for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to independently determine whether charges are to be laid.
The Chief Justice says if charges are laid by the Director of Public Prosecutions, the judiciary will ensure that the trial is carried out within a reasonable time, that is, a timeline under 2 years.
He says all due processes will be observed for the prosecution and the defence.
He adds at the conclusion of the trial, the appeal process will also be streamlined, a timeline of 12 months.
Chief Justice Temo says this matter is deeply concerning.
He says court exhibits are an integral part of the administration of justice and the integrity of criminal proceedings.
He adds their secure custody, management, and preservation are essential to ensuring fair trials, protecting the rights of all parties, maintaining public confidence in the justice system, and upholding the rule of law.
fijivillage News has asked Chief Justice Temo on whether a full audit will be conducted at all court exhibit rooms, and whether all the drug exhibits will be tested to confirm that they are actually drugs. He has not responded to this.Â
Police investigations continue into the cases of the missing cocaine from the Suva Court House.
Stay with us for developments.
