High Court orders arrest of man charged with attempted murder of cop

A bench warrant has been issued for a man charged with the attempted murder of a police officer after he failed to appear in the High Court in Suva today.

The matter came before Justice Dane Tuiqereqere. Saimoni Rototunidau was absent when his case was called, and his lawyer, Jerry Dinati, also did not appear.

State prosecutor Katarina Dugan told the court the prosecution had tried to contact Dinati without success.

She said the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions had also written to the Legal Practitioners Unit to obtain his business address.

Following Rototunidau's absence, Justice Tuiqereqere issued a bench warrant for his arrest.

Rototunidau faces one count each of attempted murder, unlawful possession of illicit drugs, going equipped for theft, serious assault, and refusing to allow police to take his fingerprints and photographs. He has not yet entered pleas to the charges.

The charges stem from an incident in April in which Police Constable Senoveva Tikoduadua was allegedly struck by a vehicle while manning a police checkpoint in Laqere, Nasinu. Police allege the vehicle was being pursued by officers at the time.

The matter was adjourned to August 4.