A visiting High Court Judge will assign a new trial date for Mohammed Raheesh Isoof.

Isoof is charged with the alleged murder of a family of five people and the attempted murder of an 11-month-old child at the Nausori Highlands between August 25-26, 2019.

He is alleged to have murdered carpenter Nirmal Kumar, his wife Usha Devi, their daughter Nileshni Kajal, her two daughters Sana aged 11 and Samara aged eight years old and the attempted murder of Samaira Kumar.

The court heard that Isoof could not be present in court because he was still in remand.

However, his counsel, Iqbal Khan of Iqbal Khan and Associates, represented him with Justice Sunil Sharma presiding over the case while Semi Babitu appeared for prosecution.

Mr Khan told the court that a trial date could not be fixed.

It was because his witness in the case was living in New Zealand and could not travel to Fiji because of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.

Justice Sharma ruled that a visiting judge whose name was not revealed in court, who would be presiding over the matter next Monday, would assign a trial date for the case.

The matter has been adjourned to October 11 for mention.

Edited by Ranoba Baoa

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