OHS officer pleads not guilty over fatal Suva ferris wheel incident
The matter was heard before Judge Justice Thushara Rajasinghe at the High Court in Suva where he is charged for manslaughter via breach of duty.
Wednesday 07 October 2026 | 08:00
Accused Ashneel Nath outside the High Court in Suva on July 9, 2026.
Photo: Ronald Kumar
Occupational Health and Safety officer, Ashneel Nath, charged with causing the fatal ferris wheel incident in Suva in 2023 took a not-guilty plea yesterday.
The matter was heard before Judge Justice Thushara Rajasinghe at the High Court in Suva where he is charged for manslaughter via breach of duty.
It is alleged that on June 30, 2023, Nath made an omission, failing to properly complete a safety checklist or ensure proper operation, which led to the malfunction of the ferris wheel and causing the death of a woman.
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The charge is made pursuant to Section 43 (1) (c) of the Health Safety Act.
Defense lawyer Karl Jamnadas who intends to file voir dire challenge raised in court that prosecution provided the wrong Police statement as the officer his client knew to have uplifted documents from the Ministry of Health, was a Isireli Tora.
Prosecutor Sadaf Shameem said she only received two statements yesterday morning belonging to a Kasanita and Frank and that she would need to go back and ask the Police.
Given that the matter has dragged on since 2023, both parties have been given two weeks to seek the first pre-trial conferences.
Both parties agreed to meet at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on October 20.
Mr Jamnadas was cautioned by the court that the matters he raised were trial issues, however, allowed him to conduct his own investigation.
The case relates to the death of a 21-year-old woman who fell from a ferris wheel during the 2023 Vodafone Showcase at the Vodafone Arena in Suva.
The matter will be called again on November 5.
Nath remains on bail.
