Drug Charges Dropped On Five
Five people facing drug related charges were discharged by the High Court in Lautoka yesterday after the Acting Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) John Rabuku filed a nolle prosequi.
A nolle prosequi is when the State prosecutor asks to stop a criminal case against the accused person or persons facing the respective charge.
Nancy Mateyawa , Iosefo Roqica, Maika Yabakivou, Isaac Lesiyanawai and Michael Pickering were initially among 10 other people facing drug charges.
The matter was heard before High Court Judge Justice Aruna Aluthge and the State was jointly represented by Mr Rabuku and Joeli Nasa.
Justin Ho, David Heritage, Louie Logaivau , Isaac Lesiyanawai, Ratu Aporosa Davelevu , Sakiusa Tuva, Iosefo Roqica, Maika Yabakivou, Ratu Osea Levula, Cathy Bainisavu, Nancy Mateyawa, Jale Aukerea, Keanie Mcpherson and Viliame Colowailiku are charged with unlawful possession of illicit drugs. Ho and Heritage are also charged with unlawful importation of illicit drugs.
Additionally, Ho, Logaivau and Aukerea are charged with having property suspected of being proceeds of crime. It is alledged that the three accused persons were found in possession of cash (local and overseas currency) suspected of being proceeds of crime.
It is alleged that between November to December 2023 and January 2024, the accused persons without lawful authority facilitated the importation and were found in possession of 4.8 tonnes of methamphetamine, an illicit drug.
Acting Director of Public Prosecutions John Rabuku and Joeli Nasa appeared for the State . Mr Rabuku told the court the nolle prosqui application was based on the consolidated information and that Roqica, Mateyawa and Yabakivou had been granted immunity which meant they would be the State’s witnesses.
Mr Anthony told the court he wished to make an application regarding the return of his client’s travel documents and for the refund of the cash he paid for bail. Yabakivou’s lawyer and Ms Volau also sought to make the same application for their clients who were among the five discharged.
Mr Khan requested that the full disclosures be provided at the earliest as he wanted to include it in his clients bail application, Justice Aluthge said he would set the bail hearing date in three weeks.
Mr Rabuku requested for three weeks to go through the full disclosures which comprised crime scene photographs and 200 documents that included search warrants and lists, he also requested for another week to give the defence time to consider the full diclosures and advise their clients on their plea.
Justice Aluthge said the Ho and Logaivau’s bail hearing would be on April 20 and the substantive matter to May 3.