Magistrate Grants Bail For Man Who Claimed He Had Coronavirus

Bail has been granted for Simione Sekonaia Batimona Nakuna Jnr, who is charged with giving false information to a public servant and one count of malicious act.

The 24-year-old accused allegedly claimed that he had recently returned from overseas and experienced symptoms of coronavirus. He appeared yesterday before Magistrate Deepika Prakash in the Magistrates Court in Suva.

For the first count of giving false information, it is alleged that the accused on February 25, 2020, at Suva, gave false information to staff nurse Ukashni Kumar, a public officer, stating that he had coronavirus while travelling from Japan knowing such information to be false.

Magistrate Prakash ordered Nakuna Jnr to pay a cash bail of $300 and sign a bail bond of $1000. He was also ordered to surrender his passport and travel documents and not to obtain any further travelling documents.

He was also told to report to the Lami Police Station every Wednesday between 8 am and 6 pm, not to re-offend or interfere with State witnesses. A stop departure order has also been issued on Nakuna Jnr.

The matter has been adjourned for mention on March 17.

Edited by Naisa Koroi

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