The High Court in Suva heard yesterday that John Nikolic suffered respiratory arrest possibly from a drug overdose while Police and Customs officers were combing his yacht.

This was revealed by Prosecution lawyer Shelyn Kiran from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) while reading out the admitted facts in court.

John Nikolic and Yvette Nikolic face charges for drug trafficking and possessing arms and ammunition without a licence.

High Court Judge Justice Daniel Goundar is presiding over the trial. Ms Kiran told the court that John Nikolic, who is represented by Lautoka lawyer Wasu Pillay, passed a goodbye message to his wife, Yvette Nikolic, through a crew member on June 22, 2018.

On June 24, 2018, crew member Geoffrey Hassel said in his caution interview that John Nikolic ingest- ed a substance before passing on the message.

The message was, “Goodbye. Sorry I cannot kiss you goodbye as I have taken something”.

Ms Kiran told the court that the yacht Shenanigans was purchased by the couple in Florida for US$305,000 (about F$ 651,193.74) and departed Florida on February 2, 2018, bound for Brisbane, Australia.

The prosecution’s 12th witness, Fiji Police Force exhibit writer Jone Naviri, told the court that he received 13 bars of cocaine, a gun with 75 rounds of ammunition, one revolver with 41 rounds of ammunition, 65 ecstasy tablets and plastic containers, from investigating officer Aten Prasad.

Mr Naviri told the court that the packages received were wrapped with Customs tape, had Mr Prasad’s and FRCS Customs officer Vasiti Toga’s signatures on it and were kept in the exhibit room for safekeeping.

He told the court that he took out the packages on July 5, 2018, to show them to John Nikolic using a cutter to open the Customs seal before they were repackaged and put back in the exhibit room and locked for safekeeping.

The trial continues today.

Edited by Epineri Vula

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