A Fiji court has today held off ruling on a bail application for a 24-year-old man charged with the murder of a four-year-old girl, after concerns he might interfere with his mother who briefly became a fellow suspect in the case yesterday.
Sevanaia Lotudina appeared before Magistrate Mary Muir this afternoon in a case that has taken police three months to bring to court after the girl’s body was found in waters near the island of Beqa in September.
Lotudina was arrested in October, questioned and released and later charged yesterday.
His mother was arrested yesterday, questioned and released on the same day.
Prosecution lawyer Kevueli Bulamainaivalu objected to the bail saying he did not want Lotudina to interfere with other suspects. He was referring to Lotudina’s mother.
However, defense lawyer Aseri Vakaloloma argued that the mother had been released and was no longer a suspect.
The bail surety was given by Lotudina’s uncle, Olipani Baba, a retired civil aviation officer and Justice of Peace who lives one kilometre away from Lotudina’s parents at Nasese.
Bulamainaivalu objected to the bail application saying he did not want Lotudina to be granted bail so that he would not meet with his parents or stay near them.
Magistrate Muir said because of the seriousness of the matter, she could not rush into a decision on this matter and adjourned the case for hearing on the bail application tomorrow.
The case has been further adjourned to November 26 be called in the High Court.
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