The Judiciary has begun a comprehensive review of exhibit management and security arrangements across all court facilities after cocaine exhibits disappeared from the Suva High Court Registry.

In a statement issued today, Chief Justice Salesi Temo said the Judiciary was fully cooperating with the Fiji Police Force as investigations into the missing exhibits continued.

Court officials have been directed to make available all relevant records, documents and information required by investigators, with the Judiciary reaffirming its commitment to a thorough, transparent and independent investigation.

The Chief Justice confirmed that Police had identified several persons of interest but stressed that they must be treated fairly and presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The disappearance of the exhibits has prompted an urgent review of security systems, with the Chief Justice acknowledging that the secure custody, management and preservation of court exhibits are fundamental to the administration of justice and the integrity of criminal proceedings.

The review extends beyond the circumstances of the current investigation and covers the broader systems used to protect court exhibits, records and other sensitive materials.

Preliminary security assessments have already been conducted at court facilities, with particular attention given to exhibit storage, registry operations, access controls, surveillance systems and internal accountability mechanisms.

Measures being implemented include a nationwide security assessment of court premises, a review of exhibit handling, storage, retention and destruction procedures, and upgrades to physical security infrastructure.

The Judiciary is also expanding CCTV coverage and monitoring capabilities, strengthening chain-of-custody requirements and accountability measures, and reviewing staff access privileges, registry controls and security protocols.

Additional training and awareness programmes will be introduced for staff responsible for exhibit management and security, alongside enhanced audit, compliance and oversight mechanisms.

The Chief Justice said the Judiciary was also assessing opportunities to modernise registry operations through improved technology, strengthened records management systems and enhanced inventory controls to reduce risks and improve operational integrity.

He acknowledged that public confidence in the Judiciary was fundamental to the rule of law and said the response to the incident must be measured, professional and focused on preventing similar occurrences.

The Judiciary will continue working closely with Police and other relevant stakeholders to address any deficiencies identified during the investigation and security review.

With investigations still active, the Chief Justice said it would be inappropriate to comment further on matters that could become the subject of criminal proceedings.