The Fiji Police Force is facing significant challenges in the ongoing investigation of the major Ebay recruitment scam that defrauded over 1,000 people last year.

Despite intensive efforts, no charges have been filed against those responsible.

Chief of Crime Assistant Commissioner of Police Mesake Waqa revealed this today during a panel discussion at the Scam Awareness Week event.

He also outlines the difficulties law enforcement encounters in tracking the digital activities linked to such sophisticated scams.

“Following digital trade sometimes ends up to one person and there is a lack of cooperation coming from the members of the public or the victims to assist the police in this digital trade. And together with that, I don’t want to touch the nitty-gritty part of it because the investigations are still ongoing. No one has been charged yet. And I just assure for the patience of the people of Fiji so that we can be able to do our work well.”

Chief of Crime Assistant Commissioner of Police Mesake Waqa [File Photo]

ACP Waqa acknowledged that the investigation remains highly sensitive with limited information available due to its ongoing status.

He stressed that the lack of public cooperation has severely hampered efforts to trace the digital trade associated with these crimes, complicating the pursuit of justice.

The challenges are further compounded by legal constraints highlighted during the event.

Vodafone Fiji’s Head of eCommerce and Digital Financial Services Shailendra Prasad addressed the stringent privacy laws that limit the ability of telecommunications companies to share personal information.

Under the Phone Services Act, personal data collected during phone registrations can only be disclosed with a court order, making it difficult for authorities to access crucial information needed for the investigation.

Privacy concerns are paramount and without legal justification, confidential data remains protected.

Prasad also raised concerns about repeat offenders in digital fraud cases, claiming that the court continues to grant bail to the accused.

He pointed to a specific case where an individual involved in multiple MPAiSA scams has been charged and appeared in court several times, yet has repeatedly been granted bail.

Prasad claims that this ongoing release allows the offender to continue committing the same offence.

“The person is a repeat offender. Maybe seven or eight times he has been taken to the court and left out on bail. And he goes out again and commits the same offence and does it to many people. Of course, he has scammed a number of people, he has a lot of money and he can hire the best lawyers.”

Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions John Rabuku explained that bail decisions are ultimately at the discretion of judges or magistrates, who must weigh whether the accused will appear in court for subsequent hearings.

Even those with prior offences are granted bail under the presumption of innocence, a constitutional right that complicates the judicial process. Securing convictions in such cases, Rabuku noted is often a lengthy and challenging process.