The trial of four suspended Police Officers which was to begin yesterday has been rescheduled to tomorrow.

Suspended Police Officers, Sevanaia Narogi, Kameli Tukana, Mafoa Korosaya and Inoke Nagata’s court trial was to begin yesterday.

They had appeared before High Court Judge Justice Siainiu Bull on Monday for the first day of their trial.

They are alleged to have been involved in the Naqia assault case of April 14, 2020, where they are alleged to have assaulted and thrown 32-year-old Inoke Lagicere off Naqia Bridge in Tailevu.

Narogi is charged with one count each of acts intended to cause grievous harm, assault causing actual bodily harm, and common assault. Tukana is charged with one count each of assault causing actual bodily harm and common assault.

Korosaya and Nagata are each charged with one count of assault causing actual bodily harm. The State prosecutor told the court that the State was ready to proceed to trial and would call civilian witnesses first.

However, Tukana’s counsel Joji Cakau told the court that he had not received the additional disclosures from the State which contained names of some of the civilian witnesses the state intended to call.

He also told the court that once he received the disclosures, he would need time to go through it with his client for instructions.

He sought the trial to be postponed in the best interest of his client. The State Prosecutor served the disclosures to Mr Cakau.

Mr Cakau told the court that as per the recent Supreme Court judgment, the charge his client and two others faced were summary offences that could be tried in the Magistrates Court.

The Prosecutor confirmed the court on the same judgment and submitted that the court should proceed with the trial as the High Court had the jurisdiction to hear the matter.

The Prosecutor also told the court that even though the judgment was from the Supreme Court which was the highest Court of the land, it was not above the Constitution.

Justice Bull adjourned the trial to tomorrow and told the parties that she would hear the submissions on the charges related to the Supreme Court judgment tomorrow.

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