Another life is lost because of an alleged assault after a night out in Suva.

Navitalai Loatuicama, 26, was allegedly assaulted after returning from a nightclub along Carnarvon Street in the early hours of Friday.

This is just two weeks after Parliament had passed the Liquor Amendment Bill that would legalise the closure of all nightclubs at 1am.

Government pushed for this bill after a life was also lost in an alleged assault case outside a nightclub in Suva on March 26.

Navitalai allegedly fell over the railings adjacent to the Pacific Energy fuel station; hit his head on the cement surface that resulted in his death.

He was rushed to the hospital by relatives and was pronounced dead few hours later.

Police confirmed that a 19-year-old youth was questioned and released regarding the incident.

Uncle Tells 

An emotional and shattered Sakiusa Bureisarasau hopes no family would ever go through the pain of losing a loved one.

Mr Bureisarasau was still trying to set up his small market at 6am in Jittu Estate at Samabula on Friday morning, when he received a message from his sister to check on his nephew who was seriously injured at the Hospital.

“The message said, just go straight to the emergency room, Navi is there. Something’s wrong with him,” Mr Bureisarasau said.

“At the hospital he was lying there unconscious with the life support machine.

“The doctors told me there was a minimum chance of survival and showed me the scan result. His spinal cord was broken and there were two openings at the back of his skull.

“The openings were not from the outside but from the inside and he had a blood clot inside his head. That’s when I knew that Navi would not make it,” Mr Bureisarau said.

Sakiusa Bureisarasau showing a photo of his nephew, Navitalai Loatuicama at their home in Jittu on July 30, 2023. Photo: Leon Lord

At 12pm Navitalai Loatuicama, succumbed to his injuries and passed away.

Navi as he was fondly known was a quiet person and always loved to hang out with his friends.

His would resort to drinking to try to get away from his family problems and find a way to numb the pain and emotions he felt from the passing of his father.

The victim is originally from Mudu, Lomaiviti with maternal links to Matuku in Lau. He has been living with his uncle, Mr Bureisarasau.

Mr Bureisarasau said he could not blame anyone for what had happened to his nephew.

He is requesting relevant authorities to have the railings height at Carnavon Street increased to a higher level.

“There have been a lot of cases where people fell and died at that place.” he said.

Police investigations continue.

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