Nakuna Jnr jailed for lying about having Coronavirus
A24-year-old man who lied about having coronavirus while traveling from Japan will welcome 2021 in prison. Simione Sekonaia Batimona Nakuna Jnr, appeared before Magistrate Joseph Daurewa at the Magistrates Court in Suva yesterday for his sentence.
Nakuna Jnr was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment. He was ordered to serve a period of six months in prison and the period of one year is suspended for two years.
On February 25, 2020, at Suva, Nakuna Jnr, gave false information to a staff nurse who is a public servant at Colonial War Memorial Hospital stating that he had coronavirus while traveling from Japan knowing such information to be false.
Nakuna Jnr told the nurse that he travelled from Japan after spending a month there and had contracted coronavirus.
He had complained of cough and fever, the staff nurse then put him into an isolation room where Nakuna Jnr was tested and the results came out negative.
Nakuna Jnr pleaded guilty to the charge and his lawyer from the Legal Aid Commission had sought for a non-conviction as Nakuna Jnr was pursuing further studies. However, Magistrate Daurewa noted that there was no evidence presented in court to prove the same.
Magistrate Daurewa also noted that there was no record of travel history on his passport.
The court heard that Nakuna Jnr was sick when he arrived at the CWM Hospital, he decided to lie about having coronavirus cut the line short since the hospital was full. Magistrate Daurewa said that the authorities had wasted their time and resources looking into the case.