Police have started to receive complaints today from people against the recruiting agent for Meridian Services in Fiji, Timoci Lolohea who promised thousands of people jobs in Kuwait a few years ago.
Deputy Director Police Operations SP Erami Raibe confirms police received some complaints against Lolohea and they will also look at the previous reports which were lodged a few years back.
Raibe said they are also in the process of gathering other reports which were lodged at various police stations around the country.
Raibe exclusively revealed to Fijivillage News this morning that Police have now formed a team to conduct a detailed investigation against Lolohea following reports that he is in the country.
Earlier on...
Lolohea is back in Fiji and going around freely with a big sign outside his house of another recruitment drive for Dubai.
Deputy Director Police Operations SP Erami Raibe said they need people to come forward an lodge their complaints against Lolohea before police takes further steps.
Raibe has called on people not to deal with Lolohea.
Over a certain period of time, it was reported by Fijivillage News back in 2005 that Lolohea had received a job registration fee of 150 dollars from each person hoping to go to Kuwait.
People also gave more than 150 dollars, some 250 dollars or 300 dollars.
Fijivillage News had established through the Meridian Services Office in Suva that they had received registration fees from 20 thousand locals and Lolohea was out of the country.
This brings the total amount collected by Lolohea and his company to 3 million dollars.
Lolohea did not return to Fiji and none of the people who gave him the job registration fees were given employment in Kuwait. They waited and then took the matter to the police.
The then Deputy Police Commissioner, Moses Driver had started investigations but nothing could be done as Lolohea's whereabouts were unknown.
Lolohea had gone to villages and church groups around the country
and people thought that thousands of Fijians will be going to Kuwait and sending the much needed money back home.
Lolohea has been sighted a number of times over the past week, mainly near his home in Nadonumai.
Some government officials have confirmed to us that Lolohea's investigation file is still open.
Fijivillage News has also received confirmation that most of Lolohea's bank accounts in Fiji are frozen since the investigation started.
We have received information that he is trying to get the freeze lifted so that he can access the funds.
All we can confirm at this stage is that the bank accounts have a large amount of funds.
Meanwhile various church groups, villagers, community organisations and individuals have pleaded Lolohea to refund their money.
Two village headmen from Naitasiri and Ra told Fijivillage news yesterday that they have paid Lolohea a huge sum of money after he promised them jobs.
