The trial for a Levuka man facing murder and assault charges will begin from November 4 at the High Court in Suva.

Tevita Deve is charged with one count each of murder and assault causing actual bodily harm.

He appeared before Judge Justice Thushara Rajasinghe yesterday.

The trial has been fixed to be heard by Judge Justice Daniel Goundar from November 4 to November 15, this year.

It is alleged that Deve on March 4, 2018, in Naikorokoro Village in Levuka, Ovalau, allegedly assaulted his 21-year-old wife and murdered her by making her drink paraquat.

Prosecutor from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Sheenal Swastika, told the court that that the accused had allegedly given an ultimatum to the deceased to either drink the paraquat or he would cut her.

She also told the court that the State was relying on the declarations made to the nurse and the doctor and that there were full admissions in the caution interview.

Defence lawyer from the Legal Aid Commission Kavshik Prasad told the court that the accused had given him mixed instructions on whether the defence would challenge the caution interview admissions.

He also told the court that the accused had raised issues on the translation of the caution interview from the iTaukei language to the English language.

Justice Rajasinghe said if the accused was not happy with the translation, then the court registry could assist in translating the caution interview from the iTaukei language to English.

The case was adjourned for September 4.

Deve has been remanded in custody pending trial.

Edited by Ranoba Baoa

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