Waisea Drova is happy to be home after being released for EMP.


It was an emotional homecoming for 24-five-year-old Waisea Drova after spending more than two years of his life behind bars.

Drova, who hails from Colo-i-Suva village, was earlier convicted of aggravated robbery and sentenced to a term of four years.

Being a first offender, Drova is the only one in his family, to have experienced prison life.

He is the youngest in a family of four and today he wishes he could trade his past for anything.

But of course it’s all too late. He has served time inside and can testify that it is not a good place to be in.

Drova said prison life was an absolute waste of time.

“I wish I could undo what I did but it’s too late now. I regret the time I wasted inside.

“But what happened has enabled me to take a closer look at myself. I made the wrong decision, I got involved with the wrong people and I got into trouble,” Drova said.

“I’ve learnt the importance of listening to your parents, they are the only people that care about you in this world.

“When I was in prison none of my friends, none of the people who I used to listen to, visited me. It was a painful moment,” he added.

Last Friday he was accompanied home by Fiji Corrections Service officers much to the delight and excitement of his elderly parents, his siblings and extended family members.

He was released by the department to serve his remaining 10 months on extra-mural punishment, after having met the criteria.

His dad Akuila Mare sat quietly throughout the handover formalities, obviously elated at seeing his son back home.

An emotional relative likened Drova’s homecoming to the biblical parable of the prodigal son.

“Our son has come home today, he was dead and now he is alive, he was lost but now he’s found.

“He looks well and we thank the Fiji Corrections Service for looking after him, we thank you for contributing to his change and we thank you for the work that you do,” he added.

Because of the availability of land in his village, Drova now plans to go into cash-crop farming while carrying out 10-months of community work at the Colo-i-Suva police post.

“I intend to start a new life, earn a living and once again make my parents proud of me,” he said, beaming.

The determined young man is aware that it won’t be easy to get there because of the stigma associated with imprisonment but that is a challenge he is willing to tackle head-on.

www.corrections.org.fj

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