Romanu Tikotikoca

Romanu Tikotikoca is a Fijian police officer and diplomat, who served as acting Commissioner of Police from December 2006 to July 2007, and Fiji's High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea from 2012 to 2015.

Tikotikoca hails from the island of Taveuni, in Cakaudrove Province. He joined the police force in 1968. Senior positions held by Tikotikoca include Divisional Police Commander, Head of Special Branch unit, and Assistant Police Commissioner, Crime. He later participated in peacekeeping duties under the RAMSI operation in the Solomon Islands in 2005,[1] before becoming head of security at Goldridge Mining Limited in the Solomons in December that year.[2][3] Following the 2006 Fijian coup d'état he was named as Commissioner of Police by the military regime of Frank Bainimarama.[2] Tikotikoca was chosen to replace Andrew Hughes, with whom the Military had fallen out before the coup. Before Tikotikoca could take up his duties, Jimi Koroi was appointed Acting Commissioner in a temporary capacity.

As police commissioner Tikotikoca established an unarmed National Operations Support Unit to replace the armed Tactical Response Unit disbanded by the military.[4] He also ended a sedition investigation into dictator Frank Bainimarama.[5] He also clashed with the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption when it laid charges for a murder[6] and carried out raids without informing police.[7]

In June 2007 the military regime announced that he would be replaced as police commissioner by Esala Teleni.[8] In July 2007 Tikotikoca was sacked before his contract ended.[9]

In August 2012 he was appointed as Fijian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea.[10] He resigned in march 2015, and was succeeded by Esala Teleni.[11]

He was selected as a candidate for the National Federation Party for the 2018 Fijian general election,[12] but stepped down after an allegation that he had raped a maid while working as high commissioner.[13][14][15]

In October 2020 he was awarded the Fiji 50th anniversary of independence medal.[16][17]

References
  1. "Fiji police take up key RAMSI appointments". RNZ. 1 March 2005. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  2. "Tikotikoca is new police chief". Fiji Times. 10 January 2007. Archived from the original on 11 January 2007.
  3. "Senior Fiji officer quits Solomons force to head security at mine". RNZ. 7 December 2005. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  4. "Fiji police establish unarmed replacement for disbanded Tactical Response Unit". RNZ. 16 February 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  5. "Fiji police cease investigation into sedition allegations against Commodore Bainimarama". RNZ. 24 February 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  6. "Concern over new Fiji anti-corruption agency". RNZ. 5 June 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  7. "Fiji anti-corruption unit carries out raids in Suva and Labasa". RNZ. 22 June 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  8. "Deputy miltary commander Teleni is new Fiji police commissioner". RNZ. 8 June 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  9. "Acting Fiji police commissioner sacked weeks before end of contract". RNZ. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  10. "FIJI ENVOY PRESENTS CREDENTIALS TO PNG GOVERNOR GENERAL". Fiji Government. 3 August 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  11. "Teleni becomes Fiji HC to PNG". RNZ. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  12. "NFP names 31". Fiji Times. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  13. "NFP Man Accused". Fiji Sun. 13 February 2008. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  14. "Tikotikoca withdraws". Fiji Times. 15 February 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  15. "Tikotikoca withdraws his provisional candidacy for NFP after rape allegations". Fiji Village. 15 February 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  16. "30 more Fijians recognised for their contribution". Fiji Times. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  17. "30 more people receive Fiji 50 Independence Commemorative medals". Fiji Village. 8 October 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
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