9 Nov 2005

Fiji police constable charged with assault

11:09 am on 9 November 2005

Fiji police have charged a female constable in the force for assaulting the mother of the three missing Lata sisters who are believed to have been murdered in late June.

Radio Fiji reports that the constable faces a charge of assault on Moreen Lata during her interrogation at the Rakiraki police station.

A police spokeswoman, Corporal Prashila Narayan, says the woman constable was part of the team which investigated the disappearance of the LATA sisters.

She says the constable was charged by the Police Professional Standards Unit.

Moreen Lata told the Fiji media in early July that police beat her up to try and force her to admit that she had an affair with the self-confessed murderer of her three daughters, Dip Chand.

At the time police denied the assault and Moreen Lata said they forced her to withdraw her report of assault lodged at the Rakiraki police station.

A medical examination report from the Rakiraki Hospital stated that Moreen Lata suffered a swollen scalp, swollen nose and bruises on her back.

Although Dip Chand has been sentenced to 20 years in jail for the rape of three other girls over several years, his trial for the murder of the three Lata sisters is yet to begin.