Magistrate Seini Puamau yesterday found Freesoul Real Estate Development (Fiji) PTE guilty of two counts of undertaking unauthorised developments on Malolo Island between June 8, 2017, and December 6, 2018.

However, she ruled that the company was not guilty of failure to comply with a prohibition notice.

Freesoul Real Estate Development (Fiji) PTE Limited was charged by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

During the judgment at the Suva Magistrates Court, Magistrate Puamau ruled that Freesoul Real Estate Development (Fiji) PTE Limited did carry out developments works without approval from the Environmental Impact Assessment report.

She convicted the company for two counts of undertaking unauthorised developments.

However, Magistrate Puamau ruled that the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the company failed to comply with a prohibition notice and found the company not guilty of the charge.

Present in court was the Minister for Environment Mahendra Reddy, Permanent Secretary Joshua Wycliffe, and Director for Environment, Sandeep Singh.

Defence has been given time until April 23 to file and serve their mitigation and sentencing submissions while the state given until May 5 to file and serve its sentencing submissions.

The matter will be called for sentencing on May 7.

Edited by Ranoba Baoa

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