 Fijisun news
By SALLYSHNI DEVI
Residents of Rakua (pictured on the right with one of the apartments along the street), a suburb in the capital (Suva) are living in fear after eight masked men armed with cane knives and iron rods forcefully entered the house of a businessman and robbed him and his tenants.
The residents of Rakua Street in Suva said they no longer felt safe to stay in that area and called on police to provide more regular patrol to combat such serious crimes. The Chinese businessman who was robbed refused to comment on the incident while his tenants, who are students of University of the South Pacific, said they would not forget the terror.
The students said they watched helplessly as the robbers chose what they wanted to take.
"They were shouting at each other in Fijian," said Alex Buani, a student from the Solomon Islands.
"One of my friends saw these men jumping over the fence and screamed and ran into the house. It happened so fast. Some of the thugs rushed upstairs where the landlord lives while the others robbed us at knife point."
Mr Buani said they could not do anything but surrender all their belongings because the men were armed. One of his friends who tried to assist the family was confronted by the suspects and was injured in the process.
"This can affect Fiji if foreigners leave the country in threat of such serious robberies with violence. The police and military should take immediate action so that foreigners feel safe to stay in the country," Mr Buani said.
"There should be harsher punishments for such acts by the judiciary system so that they do not repeat such serious offences." According to him, there is no proper police patrol in that area at night, a reason they believe is why thugs roam freely.
Police said the victim was watching television with his family when they confronted the suspects and robbed them off cash and valuable items worth $3250. Divisional media liaison officer Southern Inspector Lavenia Lovodua said the incident took place at 7.45pm on Friday and stolen items included $1200 in cash, a Sony digital camera valued at $1000, two mobile phones valued at $500, a gold chain worth $550 and three bottles of assorted liquor. The items were not insured and police investigations will continue. |
BENJAMIN DISRAELI (1804-1881)
Jacinta Moli from Central Malaita representing Solomon Islands in Powerlifting during the Commonwealth Games
