More In Court Over Curfew, Social Gathering Breaches
Twenty people appeared at the Suva Magistrates Court yesterday, charged with failure to comply with lawful orders prohibiting social gatherings and/or charged with breaching the nationwide curfew.
Sunday 19 April 2020 | 12:48
Accused persons appeared at the Suva Magistrate Court, for allegedly breaching curfew hours and social gathering orders on April 18, 2020. Photo: Shreeya Verma
Twenty people appeared at the Suva Magistrates Court yesterday, charged with failure to comply with lawful orders prohibiting social gatherings and/or charged with breaching the nationwide curfew.
Isikeli Koroi, Timoci Daini, Sakiusa Cola, Vani Ruve, Kelera Ratakele, Jone Ruve, Onisimo Rokodakunivosa, Matayasi Tukana, Josefa Galo, Michael Whippy, Ameniasa Galo, Benedito Galo, Paul Robinson, Patrick Galo, Sakaraia Bautolu, Ilaitia Takalalo, Mosese Buli, Timoci Kotoisuva, Noa Silimaibau and Bose Lutunatabua appeared before Chief Magistrate Usaia Ratuvili.
The accused persons were arrested on April 16 and 17,
Related stories
They all pleaded guilty and were bailed at $500 each.
Koroi, Vani Ruve, Ratakele, Jone Ruve, Rokodakunivosa, Tukana, Bautolu, Takalalo, Buli, Kotoisuva, Silimaibau and Lutunatabua consented to perform community work and to report to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions on tomorrow at 10am, to get their community work orders.
Daini, Cola, Josefa Galo, Whippy, Ameniasa Galo, Benedito Galo, Robinson and Patrick Galo were willing to pay fines of $200 to $300 each.
For Koroi, the matter was adjourned to May 26, while the matter for the other accused was adjourned to June 2.
In Navua:
Two people appeared at the Navua Magistrates Court yesterday, charged with either failure to comply with lawful orders prohibiting social gathering or breaching the nationwide curfew.
Mosese Kainisewe and Neha Kumari appeared before Magistrate Thusara Thenakoon.
Kainisewe was alleged to have gathered with other individuals in Nabukelevu Village for the purposes of consuming yaqona on April 14.
Kumari was found breaching the nationwide curfew order by travelling in a truck to Suva at 11.47pm on April 16. They both were bailed. Kainisewe will be sentenced on April 30 while Kumari will be sentenced on April 24.
In Rakiraki and Ba
Four accused persons appeared at the Magistrates Court in Rakiraki and Ba.
Three of the accused persons, a 49-year-old financial officer Pushp Chand, a 55-year-old farmer of Waimari, Ra, Anwar Ali, and a 31-year-old clerical officer of Mullau, Ra, Harish Shay appeared before Magistrate Lisiate Fotofili.
All three were charged with one count of failure to comply with orders by having a social gathering.
Chand, Ali and Shay were all approved for bail by Magistrate Fotofili in the sum of $400, with the standard bail conditions.
At the Magistrates Court in Ba, 29-year-old Waisale Nauluwai of Yalalevu, Ba, appeared before Magistrate Samuela Qica charged with one count of failing to comply with orders.
Magistrate Qica approved of bail for the accused in the sum of $300.
Nauluwai was ordered not to reoffend, not to relocate, not to interfere with State witnesses and that he should report to the Ba Police Station every Saturday between 6am to 6pm.
In Nadi
Three people alleged to have breached the nationwide curfew on Friday night had a special court hearing at the Nadi Magistrates Court yesterday.
Appearing before Magistrate Nilmini Ferdinandez were Kamlesh Raj, Khrishnil Daran and Shanal Raj.
They are charged with disobedience of a lawful order.
They were bailed at $1000 and ordered not to reoffend.
Their case was adjourned to June 29.
Edited by Jonathan Bryce
Feedback: nicolette.chambers@fijisun.fj
