CRIME STATS STATEMENT

The overall crime rate for the reporting period from the 19th of March to the 14th of April since the confirmation of Fiji’s first COVID-19 case has recorded a 36% increase largely due to the high number of arrests made for COVID-19 restriction breaches.

During this period 650 cases of reports of failure to comply with orders were registered whereby 465 cases were for curfew breach, 138 were for social gathering breach, 32 for lockdown breach and 15 cases were for isolation and quarantine breach.

The West recorded 255 cases, South 223 cases, East with 125 cases, North with 24 cases and Central with 23 cases.

Of the 138 cases of social gathering breach, gathering for the purpose of consuming liquor recorded the highest with 60 cases followed by yaqona drinking recording 43 cases, general gathering 28 cases, sporting activities recorded 5, gathering for religious purpose 1 and gathering for wedding purpose 1 case.

Of the 650 cases 1,437 accused persons were charged.

The increase in the number of failures to comply with orders cases during this reporting period had a significant impact on the overall increase in crime.

Without the failure to comply with order cases there would have been a 13?crease in the overall crime statistics and based on the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of reducing overall Crime Rate by 10% the decrease of 13% would have meant achieving the target.

The other increase in reported crimes was recorded for the number of illicit drugs cases which registered a 42% increase with 91 cases reported compared to 64 for the same period last year.

In other KPI’s, a reduction in serious crime of 17% was recorded, crimes against women recorded a 14% reduction, while Crimes against children recorded a 44% reduction.

Domestic violence recorded a decrease of 12% for the reporting period from when the first lockdown came into force in Lautoka from the 19th of March to the 14th of April.

It is interesting to note that when after the nationwide curfew came into force a slight increase was recorded within domestic settings.

Further analysis of the reduction of domestic violence cases against women revealed that 96% were assault-related offences and 4% were sexual offences.

Domestic violence cases against children recorded a 9?crease whereby 10 cases were reported compared to 11 for the same period last year.

40% of the reported cases were sexual assault while 60% were physical assault.

All perpetrators, in this case, were male and the offences took place in a domestic setting.

COMMISSIONER OF POLICE

Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho