High Court upholds bail denial in major drug case

The High Court in Suva has reinforced the principle of judicial consistency by upholding the decision to deny bail to three Chinese nationals charged with serious drug-related offences.

Yu Yang Fang, Minghui Dai, and Zhou Lan appeared before Justice Usaia Ratuvili this morning following their arrest during a police raid on Rewa Street last year.

The three face charges including unlawful possession of 39.5 grams of methamphetamine, unlawful supply of illicit drugs, and possession of suspected proceeds of crime, including various foreign currencies.

In his ruling, Justice Ratuvili stressed that the Magistrate Court had thoroughly assessed all relevant factors and correctly applied the law in refusing bail.

Drug accused Minghui Dai outside High Court in Suva on April 7, 2026.

Photo: Ronald Kumar

The seriousness of the alleged offences, combined with the potential flight risk, justified the initial denial of bail, he said.

The defence had raised six grounds of appeal, arguing that the Magistrate erred in law and that there were material changes in circumstances since the initial ruling.

However, the High Court dismissed these claims, highlighting that the transfer of the case to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions did not amount to a significant change warranting reconsideration.

The appeal was dismissed, and the case has been referred back to the Magistrate Court for trial.