Suspended police officer’s theft case adjourned after lawyer fails to appear

A suspended police officer charged with theft will return to court later this month after her case was adjourned in the Suva Magistrates Court today.

Elizabeth Sautu is accused of stealing $3,000 from a 66-year-old man in Sigatoka last year and is charged with one count of theft.

The matter was listed for mention today but was adjourned to January 20 after Sautu’s lawyer failed to appear in court. Her bail was extended until the next hearing date.

Sautu remains suspended from the Fiji Police Force while the matters before the court are ongoing.

In a separate case, she is jointly charged with four other police officers accused of assaulting and extorting a businessman from Nasinu in August last year.

The court has yet to receive evidence in either matter, with both cases still at the preliminary stage.