Isn’t it time that we all saw what happens at the police stations during an interview of a suspect as there are advantages for the police force in greater transparency.

That was a questioned posed to the delegates at the Attorney General's Conference by High Court Judge Justice Nazhat Shameem this afternoon.

Judge Shameem stressed the need for video or audio tape of the police confessions which would protect them from false allegations of assault and unfairness. Secondly she said where a suspect freely or voluntarily confesses to the offence and that is obvious from a view of the video or tape, we can expect a greater number of guilty pleas.

She said the courts spend a great deal of time of the criminal trial determining the admissibility of confessions made to the police as there are allegations of assault, inducements, oppressive hours of questions, unfairness and a failure to explain constitutional rights.

The High Court Judge also highlighted that there was a pilot project for the audio taping in the Police Force in 2005 and yet an audio taped confession is yet to be seen in court.

She also stressed the need for reform in the delay in the court system saying it is arguably the most serious problem facing out courts today. Justice Shameem said it is time we looked very closely at the reform of the police powers and investigative techniques in Fiji.