Judge finds accused not guilty by reason of insanity

Awoman, 52, suffering from schizophrenia was acquitted by the High Court in Labasa.

Odila Loaloa was charged with one count of act intended to cause grievous bodily harm on October 11, 2022.

She appeared before Judge Justice Usaia Ratuvili, who found her not guilty by reason of insanity because she was suffering from schizophrenia at the time of the offence.

It is alleged that on September 21, 2022 at Salia Village, Tunuloa, Cakaudrove, Loaloa attacked her brother-in-law, Epineri Vula with his own cane knife causing injuries on his lip, nose and right cheek.

They were living in the same house at the time of the incident. Loaloa represented by Legal Aid Commission lawyer, Reema Raj, chose to remain silent and did not call any witness. A psychiatric evaluation report tendered by Doctors Balram Pandit and Kiran Gaikwad stated that Loaloa had a history of mental illness and it was highly possible that she was mentally ill at the time of the alleged crime. Dr Ashneel Nand, who was the doctor on duty at Natewa Health Centre, examined both Loaloa and Vula.

He told the court that at the time of the offence, Loaloa had stopped taking her prescribed medication and needed a psychiatric specialist evaluation. Justice Ratuvili ordered Loaloa to be committed to St Giles Hospital for treatment and safe custody and to be dealt with in accordance with the relevant provisions for the mental health act.

He added the court found that she attacked Vula causing injuries set out in the medical report, however, she was insane at the time of the offence.

She walked out from court as a free woman.