The driver involved in the Nina St accident appeared at the Magistrates Court in Suva yesterday.

Tevita Masavu Mate appeared before Magistrate Krishan Prasad charged with one count each of dangerous driving occasioning death, dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and driving a motor vehicle without a driver’s license.

He was represented by lawyer Nikhil Chand from Captial Legal.

The allegations are that Mate drove a motor vehicle registration number JQ 890 on August 9, 2023 at Nina St in Suva and was involved in an accident causing the death of Mere Salu.

In the same incident he caused grievous bodily harm to Mereseini Koroi.

Mate did not have a driver’s licence at the time of the incident.

Mr Chand sought the leave of court to be given time to peruse the disclosures before plea could be taken.

The prosecutor did not object to the bail, however sought cash bail, two sureties, reporting condition once a week, surrender of travel documents and other strict bail conditions.

Magistrate Prasad granted bail to the accused in the sum of $1000 and two sureties to sign bail bond of $1000 each.

The accused has been ordered to report to Nabua Police Station every Saturday between 6am and 6pm.

He was ordered to reside at his fixed residential address and not to change his address without prior approval from the court.

The accused is further ordered to surrender all of his travel documents and not to reoffend while on bail and not to interfere with the state witnesses.

Magistrate Prasad issued a stop departure order against the accused and ordered that the director of Immigration Department be notified of the same.

The matter will be called for plea on September 6.

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