SUVA (FIJI TIMES) — The discovery of two elderly Korean nationals, who were visibly unwell and kept in a locked room at the Grace Road farm earlier this month, has been reported to police and the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission, says Fiji’s Director Immigration Amelia Komaisavai.
“Report lodged with the police, and a doctor was taken down on 09 October (four days after the discovery) to assess medical condition of two Korean nationals found in a locked room,” Komaisavai said.
A reliable source said during the execution of the notice of detention of two persons of interest believed to be residing on the farm on October 5, 2023, Immigration Department officials found two Korean nationals in a locked room.
One of the individuals, an 82-year-old, had a urinary catheter inserted into him while another, a 69-year-old, was lying on another bed and was shaking so badly.
The room they were found in had no proper medical equipment and they were lying on a bed frame without mattresses, the source said.
Four days after the discovery, the team visited the site again with officials from the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MOHMS) and found the 69-year-old getting off from a truck, allegedly coming back from the farm.
A video given to The Fiji Times showed this individual being helped off the truck by two other Korean nationals as he was shaking badly and could barely move on his own.
The source said the Koreans were rude to the government officials when questioned.
The Fiji Times team also visited the farm in Navua on October 23 and were advised to travel to Grace Road True Mart, just five minutes’ drive from the farm, to meet with an executive official from the organisation.
When told by the reporter that they were there in relation to the information received regarding the two sick Korean nationals, the executive said “we’ve always taken care of them, we took them to the hospital. I don’t know what you’re talking about”.
“Our boss is our God. We actually came because of the gospel.”
MOHMS permanent secretary Dr James Fong said the medical officials had completed their assessments and a report had been submitted to the investigating team at the Immigration Department.
He declined to comment on the medical condition of the individuals or the result of the assessments.
Questions sent to the Fiji Police Force and the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission remained unanswered…. PACNEWS