Lawyer alleges charge crafted to 'cover up' Vakarise case

Defence lawyer Jerry Dinati has claimed the State's case against Isaia Ledua is built on a defective charge that was drafted to 'cover up' what happened in the Jone Vakarise case.

Ledua is charged with allegedly unlawfully entering the Queen Elizabeth Barracks armoury in Nabua with others between April 7 and April 9.

He appeared before Justice Dane Tuiqereqere in the High Court in Suva today,

Mr Dinati described the charge as "disgraceful and embarrassing", arguing there was no direct evidence or eyewitness linking Ledua to the alleged offence.

State lawyer Shahil Kumar rejected those claims, telling the court the prosecution would prove its case during the trial.

Mr Dinati also filed a bail application for Ledua at about 11.30am on Friday, asking the court to hear it the same day because of what he described as emergency circumstances.

However, Mr Kumar objected, saying the State had not yet received the bail application and needed time to respond.

Justice Tuiqereqere ruled that despite the urgency raised by the defence, the court had to follow due process and allow the State an opportunity to respond before the bail application could be heard.

The matter was adjourned until July 13 at 9.30am for a ruling on the bail application.