86-year-old Malakai Kauwale has expressed heartfelt gratitude after receiving an overwhelming wave of public support, with more than $5,000 donated to his MPAiSA account after he was robbed in Suva City yesterday.
Kauwale, who lost his bank card and pension money after trusting a stranger to withdraw cash on his behalf, told fijivillage News that he remains thankful despite the ordeal.
In a remarkable show of compassion, Kauwale even offered words of forgiveness to the person accused of taking advantage of him.
He says he does not believe the man who took his money is a bad person, and that the man may have seen the money while offering to help and acted on impulse.
Police have since confirmed that the suspect has been arrested.
The case first came to public attention after a concerned member of the public, Veniana Devu, shared a detailed account on social media, sparking widespread outrage and sympathy.
Devu described noticing Kauwale sitting alone with his crutches beside a Westpac ATM in Suva, appearing anxious and repeatedly checking his watch.
When she approached him, he reportedly explained that he had handed his ATM card to a man who had offered to withdraw money for him.
As the man failed to return, concern grew.
A woman and her children later joined in to help, sharing that the individual had briefly come back earlier, handed Kauwale $20, and claimed it was all that remained in his account.
Further checks raised alarm when it was discovered that the ATM card in Kauwale’s possession did not belong to him, leading to the realisation that the cards had allegedly been swapped and his pension funds taken.
Police were immediately notified and responded to the scene, launching an investigation that ultimately led to the arrest.
