Defence lawyer claims Labasa assault case overblown following viral video

Defence lawyer Angeline Sumer has told the court that her clients’ case has been agitated and treated as a serious incident, despite medical reports showing only minor injuries.

Ms Sumer is representing Manasa Liku and Iliesa Masisiwa, who were allegedly involved in physically assaulting two youths at a sugarcane farm in Cawaira, Labasa, on November 29.

At the Labasa Magistrate Court yesterday, Magistrate Safaira Ratu further remanded both men and adjourned the matter to next Tuesday for a bail ruling.

Magistrate Ratu had initially remanded the duo last week to allow time for assessment of all circumstances before deciding on bail.

Both Liku and Masisiwa face one count of assault causing actual bodily harm. The victims, Epeli Asaisea and Akuila Matawaqa, reportedly endured several minutes of continuous pushing and physical manhandling.

During the bail hearing, Ms Sumer said the matter had been agitated after a viral video of the incident circulated on social media platform Facebook.

She assured the court that her clients would abide by all bail conditions, including no interference with state prosecution witnesses, adhering to a curfew, attending all court sittings, and presenting two sureties each.

Police prosecutor Corporal Rajnesh Prasad opposed bail, citing the risk of absconding, the seriousness of the offence, the significant harm to the victims, and public interest. He told the court that tensions remained high among family members and villages of both Malau and Natokamu in Labasa.

Ms Sumer countered that her clients would not interfere with the victims or their families in any form of traditional reconciliation.

She added that the accused had travelled to Savusavu for massages to relieve pain from the alleged incident.

“The matter has been agitated and treated as a serious offense, which is not the case,” Ms Sumer told the court.

“This is a case of assault causing actual bodily harm. The medical report shows the victim had swelling on the face, and no major injuries were observed. Only bare hands were used—no weapons were involved.”

Case background

The victims, Asaisea and Matawaqa, had accompanied their aunt, uncle, and cousin to a family gathering in Siberia. Around 4pm, they called for a private vehicle driver to take them home to Malau.

Matawaqa told the court that his brother, Asaisea, had been drunk, prompting the driver to ask him to lie down in the trunk, where he fell asleep.

The aunt sat in the front seat while the three males occupied the back seat.

While heading home, Asaisea claims waking up feeling the heat in the trunk and, in panic, punched the back glass of the car.

The driver then contacted the car owner, who arrived with a group and allegedly assaulted the two victims.

Asaisea reportedly suffered pain throughout his body, including his head, while Matawaqa’s face was allegedly struck during the incident.