The AFP has assisted the Fiji Police Force (FPF) bring an offender to justice who unlawfully shared intimate photos and videos online.
Earlier this year a Fijian national was sentenced to two years, two months and two weeks’ jail in the Suva Magistrates Court for one count of traffic in obscene publication contrary to Section 377 of the Fiji Crimes Act 2009.
The investigation began in January 2023, after a Norfolk Island resident reported to police that intimate material of herself was being shared via Facebook messenger.
Norfolk Island Police Force (NIPF) – which includes AFP members – began an investigation, which identified the Fijian national who was based in Fiji.
The matter was referred to FPF’s Cybercrime Team, which worked closely with FPF’s Digital Forensic team and AFP members based in Suva to analyse the intelligence received.
FPF officers executed a search warrant at the man’s home in Nasinu where he was arrested. A number of electronic devices containing the images and additional evidence of the offending were also seized.
This week, the AFP presented a Certificate of Recognition to Detective Corporal Joni Naitini from the FPF Cybercrime Team for his efforts in leading the investigation.
AFP Senior Officer Adrian Morton said the AFP had worked closely with the Fiji Police Force and other Pacific law enforcement agencies to investigate cyber related offences.
“We are proud to have contributed to this successful investigation and I congratulate the hardworking officers who worked tirelessly to achieve this result,” Senior Officer Morton said.
“The AFP has provided training and various digital forensic tools through the Cyber Safety Pasifika program to help law enforcement agencies across the Pacific region to combat cyber and technology based offending.
“This successful investigation is testament to the positive working relationships between AFP International Command, Norfolk Island Police Force and Fiji Police Force.”
Fiji’s Acting Commissioner of Police Juki Fong Chew said the successful conviction as a result of joint efforts between the FPF and AFP was a testament of the long standing working partnership that was built on mutual trust, respect and the pursuit of justice.
“The AFP, since the establishment of Fiji’s Cybercrime Unit in 2007, has remained committed to our partnership through the various capacity building programs, technical support, the provision of equipment and ongoing mentoring support to our cybercrime officers,” Acting Commissioner Chew said.
“We are grateful to have AFP as a member of our policing ‘vuvale’ not only supporting Fiji but Pacific law enforcement.”
Australia’s Ambassador for Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology, Brendan Dowling also visited FPF’s Criminal Investigations Division (CID) headquarters this week where he toured the digital forensics lab that was funded by the AFP’s Pacific Police Development Program-Regional (PPDP-R) and Cyber Safety Pasifika.
Cyber Safety Pasifika is a training program to support local Pacific police in 18 countries to counter cybercrime through cyber safety awareness, development of cybercrime legislation and policy and upskilling of police officers in digital forensics. It is supported by Australia’s Cyber & Critical Tech Cooperation Program (CCTCP) that funds cyber capacity building projects in the Pacific.
On behalf of the AFP, the Ambassador presented a high tech teleconferencing unit, which provides updated communication facilities to members working in the CID.
