Cook Islands Police say claims of brutality against one of their officers filed by a Fiji national ‘don’t stack up’.

In a complaint against Cook Islands Police, defence lawyer Lavi Rokoika said her client was punched in the face and told “shut up, this is not Fiji” by a police officer.

The lawyer made the complaint in mid-August but the complaint was suppressed until September 30 for police to conduct an internal investigation.

Police spokesperson Trevor Pitt yesterday said he could not go into details of the investigation but the claims “don’t stack up”.

“The subsequent report, based on the defendant’s words, witness accounts, and the police officers involved, has found there is no substance to the allegation, or claims by the defendant,” Pitt said.

“The Police are satisfied with the determination that the accusations of alleged brutality are unfounded, and untrue.”

Pitt said the matter concerning police misconduct had been fully investigated, which is the required process under the police’s professional standards.

The complaint was filed on behalf of Kitione Rokosuka, who is in court charged with drunkenness in a public place. He entered a not guilty plea in the Criminal Court at Avarua on September 30.

In the complaint submitted to police, lawyer Lavi Rokoika said the incident happened on July 31 at 2.30 in the morning. Her client was one of three people in a car but the driver of the vehicle decided to pull over because he was tired. 

Police approached the car and the complaint said the driver was taken home but her client who stood next to the car was questioned.

Allegedly, police then asked Rokosuka for the keys of the vehicle and he was handcuffed.

Rokoika said in her complaint, “on their way to town, my client asked the two officers as to why he was handcuffed and where they were headed to. The driver responded that they were taking him to Arorangi Prison”.

“My client then asked for the reason why he was being taken to Arorangi Prison. The driver slowed the vehicle down, turned to my client, whose head was perched between the front seats and punched my client’s head with his right closed fist and said, ‘shut up, this is not Fiji, and we’re taking you to Arorangi’, then proceeded to increase the speed of the vehicle.

“Mr Rokosuka could not lean back on his seat as he was handcuffed to his back,” she said.

“This police brutality is inhumane, unjustified and illegal. I have been practicing law in the Cook Islands since 2005, and I have never heard of such arrogance from a member of the Cook Islands Police.”

Rokoika said the officer in question needed to be held responsible for the brutality toward her client.

The defendant will next appear in court on October 28, Pitt said the full findings will be made known to the complainant and the court if necessary.