Former Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho told the High Court today that he terminated Sergeant Penieli Ratei and Police Constable Tomasi Naulu in 2021 for downplaying the seriousness of a crime.
Qiliho says both officers lied when they claimed they were not aware that photos of members of the public and informers should not be circulated, adding that this is something they are taught during training.
He explained that profiling suspected people is about gathering their information, not taking their photos.
Qiliho also says that he was never part of any Viber group where photos of people were shared, otherwise he would have stopped it, as the security of informers is very important to him.
He says the matter reflected ignorance of the law, and he used his powers to dismiss the officers for misconduct.
Qiliho told the court that when he resumed duties after overseas studies, he reviewed everything that had transpired to update himself, as he had noticed the crime rate had increased.
He further says that when he returned from overseas study in 2021, he spent 14 days in quarantine and instructed the then Acting Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu to send him anything that required his decision.
Qiliho says he believes that he had the powers to deal with the case upon his return. The former Police Commissioner further stressed that there was no interference from the then Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama in his work.
Bainimarama is charged with one count of unwarranted demand made by a public official, while Qiliho is charged with two counts of abuse of office.
It is alleged that Bainimarama and Qiliho made unwarranted demands to then Acting Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu, directing him to terminate the employment of certain police officers from the Fiji Police Force.
It is alleged that Bainimarama, between the 21st of May 2021 to the 18th of August 2021 in Suva, as the Prime Minister of Fiji made an unwarranted demand with menance to the then Acting Commissioner of Police, Rusiate Tudravu, by threatening his employment to influence the Acting COMPOL to comply with his unwarranted demand for the termination of the employment of Sergeant Penieli Ratei and Police Constable Tomasi Naulu who came under the supervision and authority of the Commissioner of Police.
It is alleged that between the 5th to the 18th of August 2021 in Suva whilst being employed as the Commissioner of Police, Qiliho directed the termination of employment of Sergeant Penieli Ratei and Police Constable Tomasi Naulu without due process which was an abuse of office of his authority as the Commissioner of Police and the termination was prejudicial to the rights Ratei and Naulu.
@fijivillage.com Bainimarama and Qiliho arriving at court for the trial for the sacking of two police officers in 2021 #fiji #fyp #bainimaramaqilihocourtcase #court ♬ original sound - fijivillage
