Two charged with harbouring escapee Dutt denied bail

Harbouring a criminal was a serious offence that needed to be seriously considered by the court for the safety of the public, ASP Prasad said.

Two men charged with the alleged harbouring escapee Deshwar Kishore Dutt were refused bail at the Nadi Magistrates Court yesterday.

They appeared before Magistrate Seromi Turaga.

The first accused, 44-year-old Abinesh Singh, is accused of knowingly and without lawful excuse assisted Dutt’s escape between December 23 and 31 last year. Singh has been a businessman for 15 years and lived in Sonaisali Road, Nadi.

The second accused, 40-year-old Yogesh Prasad, of Naidiri Settlement in Sabeto, Nadi, is accused of the same offence which took place between December 22 to 30 last year.

Prasad was also charged with one count of giving false information to a public servant.

It is alleged that on December 31, 2017, in Nadi, he had given false information while being questioned by Police.

Divisional prosecuting officer ASP Anil Prasad told the court that Singh had allegedly assisted the escapee by providing him with a vehicle.

ASP Prasad said Singh also assaulted a state witness while being held in Police custody in Nadi.

The second accused, Prasad, was charged for providing a week’s accommodation and shelter for the escapee.

The court heard that Prasad’s wife then alerted the Police which led to Prasad’s arrest.

Harbouring a criminal was a serious offence that needed to be seriously considered by the court for the safety of the public, ASP Prasad told the court.

Singh’s lawyer, Babu Singh, said that his client had the right to be granted bail as he was not dangerous to society.

He added that refusing bail to his client was unnecessary because the escapee had already been apprehended by Police. Prasad’s lawyer, Aminiasi Turuva, told the court that his client was a priest and asked that bail be granted to allow him to carry out his religious duties within his area. The court also heard that Prasad had previous theft charges pending in court. Both were remanded at the Natabua Corrections Facility in Lautoka.

The case was adjourned to January 17 for mention. Edited by Mohammed Zulfikar