Witnesses Testify in Trial of Couple Who Buried Dead Daughter

The High Court in Lautoka heard that the seven-year-old child of a couple facing manslaughter and unlawful burial charges, was crying and screaming in pain from a stomach ache before she died at their home at Toko, Tavua, on February 23, 2021.

This was during cross examination of Adi Vika Tinai, who is the daughter of the accused persons, Laisiasa Rokobici and Ruci Kalokalo.

The couple represented themselves in court while Saini Naibe appeared for prosecution.

The duo is part of a faith group, Yavu Vatu ni Vanua which was founded in 2017 by a Ratu Meliki Satiki who does not believe in medical treatment at hospitals.

The couple is charged with manslaughter arising from breach of duty, an alternative count of failure to provide the necessities to life and an alternative count of restriction of burial of dead bodies.

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It is alleged that between December 1, 2020, to February 23, 2021, at Toko, Tavua, Rokobici and Kalokalo made an omission which amounted to negligent breach of duty by not taking Alanieta Drua Naituva, a seven-year-old child to hospital for medical attention which resulted in her death.

The accused persons also allegedly buried the body of their daughter Alanieta without a certificate of death in the forms prescribed by the Registrar General by regulation under the Births, Death and Marriages Registration Act in respect of the body signed by a medical practitioner on February 23, 2021 in Toko, Tavua.

Ms Naibe said the burden of proof rested with the prosecution to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.

The court heard the State will rely on direct evidence, admissions of the accused persons, circumstantial evidence and the post-mortem examination report.

Four witnesses were cross-examined by the State.

Cross examination

•  Adi Vika Tinai

Adi Vika is the third eldest out of the couple’s five children and was 15 years old at the time of the incident. She is now 18. She said Alanieta was screaming and crying because of stomach pains. The family members were in the house while her parents were at the farm.

“She passed away around 11am, however Alanieta did not usually get sick,” Adi Vika said.

When questioned on who gave the permission to bury the child, Adi Vika said she would not be able to blame her parents because of the decision to make an oath.

Ms Naibe told Adi Vika that she was in court to tell the truth and the question was simple, to which Adi Vika responded that “My parents gave the permission for the burial.”

The father, Rokobici, declined to cross-examine any of the witnesses, however Kalokalo (mother) put to Adi Vika that she lied when she said her parents were at the farm and the latter agreed.

Adi Vika said she only remembered her mother was at home and her father was at the farm.

• Landlord Alipate Vuki

Mr Vuki testified he was a parttime security officer residing at Toko, Tavua, and more than 30 people stayed in his house on the church land.

He was at his farm on the day of the incident to collect wood for his kitchen and returned at 10am when he heard voices of crying in the house.

“Upon enquiring he saw Alanieta Drua Naituva’s body in the living room and her parents seated beside her,” he said.

He didn’t enquire why the police were not called nor did he call the police. He told the court the deceased was buried later in the afternoon in his compound on the day that she died and he gave permission for the burial to be done on his compound.

• Corporal Tomasi Cabecuva of the CID HQ

The court heard that Corporal Tomasi Cabecuva caution interviewed the child’s father at the Tavua Police Station.

Reading out the caution interview of Rokobici, Corporal Cabecuva said none of the couple’s five children was employed as they depended on God to provide for them.

He said when Rokobici was questioned on why he didn’t take the deceased to hospital, “he replied that he didn’t believe in hospitals as they were ungodly.”

Rokobici admitted that the deceased was suffering from body pains and a stomach ache.

“The child, screaming in pain, was given only lemon juice and prayed over before her death,” he said.

Corporal Cabecuva questioned Rokobici why he didn’t take his daughter to hospital. He replied that it was God’s plan. Rokobici told Corporal Cabecuva that he didn’t believe in the laws because they were ungodly.

• Detective Constable Qata Ker

The court heard that Constable Qata Ker caution interviewed Kalokalo (mum) at the Tavua Police Station.

Detective Contable Qata said Kalokalo admitted that Alanieta was experiencing body pains since December 2020 and that she stayed with her daughter until her death when she and a group of women dressed Alanieta, wrapped her in masi cloth and a mat before burying her.

The State will call its last two witnesses for cross examination before it closes its case. The trial continues today.

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