22 September 2026

I am deeply concerned by the reported tampering and disappearance of cocaine exhibits from the Suva High Court exhibit room. As the Minister responsible for the administration of justice and the upholding of the rule of law, my absolute priority is ensuring that our state systems are anchored in unwavering governance, strict accountability, and proper statutory processes.

To that end, I want to reassure the public that a thorough, rigorous, and completely independent criminal investigation has been initiated by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Fiji Police Force,  to establish the exact circumstances surrounding this incident.

It is a fundamental principle of our democracy that the Executive branch does not interfere with, direct, or involve itself in operational police inquiries or judicial functions. As Minister, I will not be directly involved in the operational timeline or specific directions of this inquiry.

However, my ministerial oversight is focused squarely on ensuring that the independent investigative bodies are fully resourced, completely unhindered, and that the robust legal processes governing evidence custody are fiercely upheld without fear or favor.

The proper handling, security, and management of exhibits held by our courts are sacred institutional responsibilities. Any failure to adhere to established protocols must be treated with the utmost seriousness. The public is entirely entitled to demand transparency and answers on a matter of such profound public interest.

As proper processes take their course, we must respect the constitutional boundaries of our justice system, protect the operational independence of the police, and allow the evidence to be analyzed through independent, professional channels.

The Ministry remains firmly committed to systemic governance overhauls. We will closely monitor the institutional recommendations arising from this independent process to reinforce our court infrastructure, protect public trust, and preserve the absolute integrity of the administration of justice in Fiji.