Suva court convicts woman of absconding bail
Court rules the accused failed to provide a reasonable excuse for missing her scheduled court appearance.
Monday 27 July 2026 | 13:30
Accused Zoe Maharaj outside the Suva Magistrate Court on on July 27, 2026.
Photo: Ronald Kumar
A woman who failed to appear in court after being released on bail has been convicted of absconding bail by the Suva Magistrate Court.
Zoe Maharaj Moore was found guilty by Resident Magistrate Shageeth Somaratne today after the court ruled she had failed to provide a reasonable excuse for missing her court appearance on January 10, 2020.
The court heard Moore was granted bail on January 9, 2020, but failed to appear the following day as required.
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During the hearing, Moore admitted she had been granted bail and had failed to appear in court. The prosecution tendered her caution statement and the bench warrant as evidence.
In her defence, Moore claimed she went to the prosecution office at about 10.30am on the day of her scheduled court appearance because she had been assaulted at home earlier that morning.
However, Resident Magistrate Somaratne said Moore had not mentioned the alleged assault during her caution interview and there was no evidence to confirm she had attended the prosecution office that day.
The court also found there was nothing on the court record to show the explanation had been raised when Moore was later taken into custody.
Resident Magistrate Somaratne ruled the defence had failed to prove, on the balance of probabilities, that Moore had a reasonable excuse for failing to appear.
Moore was convicted of one count of absconding bail.
She has 28 days to appeal the decision and has been further remanded in custody.
