Turn yourself in, PM tells Isoa Waqa

Fiji’s Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has called on escapee Isoa Waqa to do right and turn himself in as “he will be found”

Bainimarama said every effort has been made to catch him.

“He will be found so I urge him to turn himself in,” Bainimarama said in statement.

Waqa, 30, remains at large while his four accomplices are being interrogated by authorities on their escape from the Naboro Medium Facility on Monday and the subsequent spate of robberies that happened around Suva.

Solomoni Qurai, Tevita Sugu, Josaia Usumaki and Epeli Qaraniqio were captured in a joint operation by Fiji Police, Fiji Military and the Fiji Corrections Services at around 6.30pm Friday evening at Uduya point. Waqa was also with the four men but fled the scene when the authorities arrived.

Commodore Bainimarama said the authorities are also targeting possible accomplices both inside and outside the prison.

“Anyone who harboured these men or assisted them in any way is also in serious trouble and we are conducting a thorough investigation into allegations that the breakout was assisted by some within the prison system.”

He said if prison officers are involved than this was a grave breakdown of prison discipline and the government will leave no stones unturned getting to the bottom of this.

 “We will not tolerate any breakdown of law and order and especially our people being terrorised. I assure my fellow Fijians that these offenders will be exposed to the full force of the law", he said.

Bainimarama has also praised the collaboration between police, military and the corrections services that led to the recapture of the four.

“I want to pay tribute to the hundreds of men and women who took part in the joint operation between Fiji Police, RFMF and Fiji Correction Services,” he said.

He said that they deserve the community’s appreciation for their determination to find these men and bring them to justice.
 
By Indrani Krishna