We are no longer operating in a time when one can be removed without adherence to legal processes.
This has been highlighted by the Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu while responding to criticism where he says many have labelled his decision not to remove implicated officers as being complicit.
Tudravu has stressed the importance of following processes to safeguard the integrity of any investigation.
While speaking during a press conference, the Commissioner says they recognize that allegations against members of the organization have been detrimental to ongoing efforts to rebuild trust and confidence.
He says they are at a crossroads where genuine efforts of policing are being undermined by allegations of corruption but it is a challenge that they are determined to overcome to restore faith in the Fiji Police Force.
Tudravu says there is only one way forward and the way forward is the truth but getting to the truth, must not be compromised and must be done in accordance with process and the law.
He says while there is a strong public demand for accountability and transparency, investigations must be allowed to run their full course, noting that such processes take time and often involve multiple stakeholders.
The Commissioner also rejected claims circulating on social media that investigations will lead nowhere or that issues are being swept under the carpet, saying repeated clarifications have been issued through mainstream media.
He reiterated that police officers will be held accountable where evidence exists that can withstand scrutiny in a court of law, adding that arrests and charges laid against officers involved in illegal activities should be viewed as proof that wrongdoing is being addressed, not ignored.
The Commissioner stresses that the Fiji Police Force as an institution is not corrupt.
