Fiji: Freezer death shocks father

The father of a young policeman is trying to come to terms with the sad reality that his son will never return home after a bizarre death at a Fiji police barracks.

Police officer, 20-year-old Ratu Tevita Mataitoga’s body was found in a canteen kitchen freezer this week at the Police Special Response Unit in the Nasinu area of Suva.

His father, Semi Cakaunibula, who also is a police officer at Sabeto Police station said he was with his son last Thursday when he came home for a visit and returned to Suva the same day.

Cakaunibula said they were planning how to celebrate his 21st birthday later this year.

Mataitoga, was the prop forward of the under-18 Queen Victoria School rugby team in 2011 that defeated Ratu Navula College in that year’s grand final.

Meanwhile, investigations are continuing in relation to the discovery of his body by a carpenter at the police special unit’s barracks three days after he went missing.

Police spokeswoman Ana Naisoro said Mateitoga’s colleagues have been questioned.

He was last seen drinking with two others on Friday night and when they returned to the police barracks, he asked to rest at the canteen. He told them he was feeling hot.

It is thought the young officer may have gone into the walk-in freezer to cool down and accidentally locked himself in.

His friends went back to the canteen to look for him, Naisoro said: “When they came back to check on him, he was missing whereby a search was conducted, however, proving negative.

“His body was found by a police carpenter when he opened the freezer on Tuesday morning.”

The deceased who is from Nadi had been stationed with the Police Special Response Unit after graduation from the Police Academy last year.