COVID-19 RELEASE (19)

14th April

One hundred and seventeen (117) arrests were made in the last 24 hours including a Police officer who failed to adhere to social gathering restrictions.

The Police officer was arrested after he was found playing rugby with a group of youths in Waila yesterday. 

He will also face our internal disciplinary processes.

Of the 117 cases, the Northern Division recorded thirty-five (35) cases which were all form social gathering breaches as the Post officer at the Saqani Police Post arrested a number of people for gathering in numbers and drinking yaqona.

The Eastern Division recorded thirty-four (34) cases which include, twenty-eight (28) for social gathering breach, three (3) for curfew breach and three (3) for lockdown breach.

One of the suspects arrested for the lockdown breach allegedly swam from Lokia to Nadali.

The Western Division recorded thirty (30) cases which include twenty-one (21) for social gathering breach, eight (8) for curfew breach and one (1) for self-quarantine breach.

The lone case of self-quarantine breach involves a man residing in Nadi who had recently returned from Canada.

The Southern Division recorded sixteen (16) reports which include ten (10) curfew breach and six (6) cases of social gathering breach.

In the Central Division, there were two (2) cases of social gathering breach.

A worrying trend noted over the last 24hour period was the number of juveniles arrested for both the curfew and social gathering breaches.

Of the 117 arrests, twenty-eight (28) were juveniles.

Parents and guardians need to keep a closer watch on their children and be aware of their whereabouts at all times.

The curfew hours remain from 8 pm to 5 am and parents and guardian must ensure their children are at home during these hours.

COMMISSIONER OF POLICE 

Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho