Radio Announcer Remanded Awaiting Bail Ruling

A 54-year-old radio announc­er facing a manslaughter charge has been remanded in custody by the High Court in Suva.

Pio Ratuwaqa, who is charged with one count of manslaughter, appeared before Justice Thushara Rajasinghe yesterday.

Ratuwaqa was involved in an ac­cident, which occurred on March 30, 2019. He allegedly lost control of the vehicle causing it to veer off the road at Gardner Place, Nasese.

A team from the Totogo Police Sta­tion, Suva, managed to rescue Ratu­waqa and 26-year-old woman Anne Taake from the vehicle, which was partially submerged in water.

Ms Taake was rushed to the CWM Hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Ratuwaqa is also facing a charge of driving while there was a con­centration of alcohol beyond the excess limit present in his blood, which will be trialled before the Magistrates Court in Suva.

It is also alleged that Ratuwaqa was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the offence.

Prosecutor from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions Un­aisi Tamanikayaroi told the court that the State was yet to file the information and disclosures in the matter because they had received the post-mortem examination re­port of the deceased on Wednesday.

She also sought time to file a re­sponse to the bail application.

Defence counsel Filimoni Vosa­rogo asked for three days thereafter to file a reply to the State’s bail re­sponse.

The case was adjourned to June 3 for plea

Edited by Susana Tuilau

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