Psychiatric Evaluation Ordered For SODELPA Member

Chief Magistrate Usaia Ratuvili has issued an order for Social Democratic Liberal Party member Jale Baba to undergo a psychiatric evaluation exam to determine his ability to take plea and participate fully in court proceedings.

This is after Magistrate Liyanage Wickramasekara transferred the matter to Mr Ratuvuili’s court for the order to be issued after defence lawyer Filimoni Vosarogo asked for time to determine whether the accused could take plea because Baba suffered a severe stoke last year.

Baba is charged by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) with one count of making a false statement.

It is alleged that between August 1, 2018, and October 15, 2018, in Suva, Baba made false statements on social media by publishing falsified voter lists and other false information related to the voter lists on Facebook, which he knew to be false or had no reason to believe to be true.

Mr Ratuvili ordered Baba to be present at Saint Giles Hospital on July 1 for assessment and the evaluation to be presented to Court for review on July 15.

Bail for Baba was further extended.

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