Ritika Pratap 
The Fiji Police Force has an obligation to provide proper meals to all individuals in their custody.
However, the majority of officers in rural stations are using their own funds to feed suspects, as they do not have any proper restaurants or registered food businesses in the area.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Administration Meli Sateki says that obtaining three quotations from registered food businesses in remote areas is challenging, which is a requirement before a contract can be awarded.
ACP Sateki says the prime examples are the Keyasi Police Station in Nadroga and Tukavesi Station in Cakaudrove where officers are paying out of their own pockets to feed offenders.
“But on the other hand, we still have the obligation under the Constitution to provide meals to anyone that we have restrained their liberty, and they are placed in our custody.”
ACP Sateki says they have requested their Director of Corporate Services to find a solution to this problem as they cannot pay any business that is not a registered food provider.
He adds that police officers have to ensure that those in their custody are properly fed so that cases can be successfully prosecuted in court.
ACP Sateki was responding to questions by the Standing Committee on Public Accounts after anomalies were found in their payment vouchers for prisoner meals.
