The first COVID-19 patient to be charged with not following Ministry of Health directives to self-isolate was granted bail by the Magistrates Court in Labasa yesterday.

Patient nine, Mohammed Saheed, 54, was charged with one count of failure to comply with orders. He appeared before Magistrate Senileba Levaci and was represented by a Legal Aid lawyer.

The court heard that between March 24, 2020, and March 31, 2020, Saheed was in Labasa, allegedly breaching the self-quarantine orders after arriving in the country from India.

Police prosecutor Subarmani Naidu said they did not object to bail, but wanted strict conditions.

Mr Naidu asked the court to instruct Saheed to surrender his travel documents, not interfere with the prosecution witnesses and remain in Labasa.

Magistrate Levaci agreed to all bail conditions by the prosecution except for one. She allowed Saheed to travel around the country.

Magistrate Levaci also ordered Saheed to report to the Labasa Police Station fortnightly on Saturdays starting from June 6, and sign a bail bond of $1000.

Edited by Naisa Koroi

Feedback:  rehnu.radhika@fijisun.com.fj