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🇫🇯 Fiji /Crime & Justice

Fiji officer jailed for assaulting man in custody

From FBC News · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • A Fiji police officer, Apimeliki Vakarusabola Colamoto, was sentenced to 3 years in prison for assaulting a man in custody.
  • The court called the incident "Police bullying" and found Colamoto guilty of acting with intent to cause grievous harm, which resulted in a fractured jaw for the victim.
  • Colamoto will serve 18 months in prison, with the remaining 18 months suspended, taking into account his young age and rehabilitation prospects.

A police officer in Fiji has been sentenced to three years in prison for assaulting a man while he was in police custody. The court characterized the incident as "Police bullying" and convicted Officer Apimeliki Vakarusabola Colamoto of acting with intent to cause grievous harm.

Police bullying.

— CourtDescribing the assault case involving a police officer and a man in custody.

The case stemmed from an incident where Colamoto arrested the complainant in Nausori Town. The man had questioned the police about their failure to intervene in a nearby brawl. While at the police station, the arrested man asked why he was being detained, prompting Colamoto to punch him in the face. This assault resulted in a complete fracture of the complainant's jaw, necessitating surgery and the insertion of wires to stabilize it.

The court found the level of harm was “materially significant” and Colamoto’s culpability was high.

— CourtRegarding the severity of the assault and the officer's responsibility.

The court determined that the harm inflicted was "materially significant" and that Colamoto bore high culpability. The judge highlighted that Colamoto had abused his authority by assaulting an individual under his care. Furthermore, the court found that the offense eroded public confidence in the Police Force and constituted a serious breach of trust.

He had abused his authority by assaulting a person who was in his custody.

— JudgeExplaining the basis for the conviction and sentencing.

While sentenced to three years, the court partially suspended the sentence due to Colamoto's young age and potential for rehabilitation. He is required to serve 18 months of the sentence, with the remaining 18 months suspended for three years. Considering the nearly nine days he has already spent in custody, Colamoto has 17 months and 20 days left to serve. He has 30 days to appeal the decision.

The offence undermined public confidence in the Police Force and amounted to a serious breach of trust.

— CourtHighlighting the broader impact of the officer's actions.
About this summary

Originally published by FBC News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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