23 Apr 2008

A Fiji Human Rights Commissioner welcomes guilty verdict

8:14 am on 23 April 2008

A Fiji Human Rights Commissioner says justice has been served after three police officers were convicted in relation to the murder of Tevita Malasebe.

The police had taken the 30-year old from his home in June 2007 and his mother found him dead at a hospital in Suva the next morning.

The High Court found two policemen guilty of murder, and another one guilty on an accessory to murder charge.

Five policemen were aquitted because there was insufficient evidence against them.

Shamima Ali says it's a huge relief that the case has been closed.

"At last Tevita Malasebe's family can have some closure on this. Of course, no one can take away the tragedy they have gone through and the fact that they have lost a son, but justice has been done to a great extent and the case has come to a close, because the violation, the murders, took place by state authorities, namely the police force."

Shamima Ali hopes the court will now focus on the death of Nadi teenager, Sakiusa Rabaka, was was allegedly assaulted by security forces last October.