A 33-year-old Chinese businessman appeared at the Nadi Magistrates Court yesterday in relation to a bribery charge.

The accused Jianbing Zhang appeared before Magistrate Chandni Dias charged with one count of bribery of public official.

The court heard that the accused was arrested on Thursday.

The accused appeared in court with a Chinese translator.

Police prosecutor Constable Dinesh Chand made an application for the accused to be remanded in custody since the accused is due to leave the country on June 5.

He said if granted bail the accused won’t be able to surrender to court.

It is alleged the accused arrived into the country on Thursday morning from Hong Kong and is alleged to have bribed a customs officer after he was found with more than 300 assorted magnetic cards.

The incident occurred at about 7am at the Nadi International Airport.

Magistrate Dias ruled for the accused to be remanded in custody and adjourned the matter to June 6 at the Nadi Magistrate’s Court.

Edited by Rusiate Mataika

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