Forty-six people were arrested in the last 24 hours for allegedly breaching COVID-19 restrictions including a University lecturer who was allegedly found drinking alcohol with people he does not live with.
Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho says this 40-year-old lecturer was one of three people allegedly found drinking liquor at Deepwater Settlement in Korovou yesterday afternoon.
Qiliho says the lecturer residing in Nakasi also allegedly tried to bribe a Police officer by offering $500 to be released from custody. This man was also allegedly found drunk-driving.
Seven people were also arrested in Kadavu after they were allegedly found drinking alcohol at the Vunisea Jetty.
These seven cases of Failure to Comply with Orders in Kadavu were part of the 31 arrests made in the Southern Division which included 24 arrests for social gathering breaches.
There were 12 arrests in the Western Division which includes 9 for social gathering and 3 for curfew breach.
The Eastern Division recorded three cases of breach of social gathering restrictions.
Qiliho says while we are nearing the weekend there's a tendency for people to let their guard down and this must not happen.
He says they cannot afford to be complacent and having a mindset that things are normal will be detrimental to the ongoing efforts of containing COVID-19.
The Police Commissioner stresses we are not out of the woods yet.
