Incoming COMPOL Tudravu says it is imperative to work quickly to regain public trust and confidence

Incoming Police Commissioner, Rusiate Tudravu says it is imperative that they work quickly to regain public trust and confidence in policing.

While speaking to fijivillage News, Tudravu says his focus right now is to clear and hand over responsibilities of the various posts he holds.

Tudravu says he is doing this to ensure that when he officially begins work on the 3rd of February, he can immediately get to work on the organisation reset.

Acting Commissioner of Police Juki Fong Chew will be the Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka confirms that Mike Bush, a former Commissioner of Police of New Zealand, will also be embedded at the headquarters as a mentor for the new Commissioner.

Tudravu is a career Police Officer and was in the force for 39 years.

In August 2021, Tudravu tendered his resignation to the then Commissioner of Police Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho.

Tudravu acted as Commissioner of Police over a 12-month period while Commissioner Qiliho was away on overseas studies supported by the United Kingdom Government.

A case is currently in court where it is alleged that Tudravu was pressured by former Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama to terminate two officers from the Force in 2021 or he would have to hand in his resignation.

It is alleged that Bainimarama, between the 21st of May 2021 to the 18th of August 2021 in Suva, being employed as a public official, gave an unwarranted demand to Rusiate Tudravu, to terminate the employment of Sergeant Penieli Ratei and Police Constable Tomasi Naulu from the Fiji Police Force, and if he did not terminate the officers, he was to hand in his resignation.

His demand was directly related to Bainimarama’s official capacity as the Prime Minister of Fiji, and was allegedly done with the intention of influencing Tudravu, a public official, in the exercise of his official duty as the Acting Commissioner of Police.

It is alleged that Qiliho, between the 5th to the 18th of August 2021 in Suva, being employed as the Commissioner of Police, reviewed the disciplinary decision given by Rusiate Tudravu as the Acting Commissioner of Police against Sergeant Penieli Ratei and Police Constable Tomasi Naulu which was five equivalent paid working days, and contrary to this decision terminated the employment of Ratei and Naulu from the Fiji Police Force in the abuse of the authority of his office which was an arbitrary act, prejudicial to the rights of Ratei and Naulu.