The 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.
Police had then assured us on Monday night that they were told 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.
