Fijian faces multiple assault charges in Australia

AFijian national is facing multiple charges of assault and domestic violence offences in Australia. Ratu Meli Bainimarama, 36, faces 17 charges including common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, stalking and intentionally choking a person without consent.

Mr Bainimarama is also accused of destroying or damaging property and intentionally distributing an intimate image without consent.

The Fijian national’s lawyer successfully applied for a nationwide suppression order on proceedings over the weekend, but this order was lifted by a Magistrate Leanne Robinson in Sydney’s Windsor courthouse on Friday.

Arguing for the non-publication order to be continued, Bainimarama’s lawyer said news coverage could see information published that would not be available to jurors, in the event of a future trial.

“There is information in the antecedence of the fact sheet that relates to the accused’s personal relationships that would certainly not form part of any information that would be before a jury in a trial, that is likely to be of significant interest to news media organisations,” lawyer Tony Edwards argued.

He also cited publications which had already occurred, arguing defamatory allegations had already been published.

He told the court that Bainimarama would rely on his good character in his defence.

“The publication of this material has happened with these orders in the existence of your honour.”

The lawyer representing the ABC, Corey Jankie, said that was based on a series of hypotheticals.

“To suggest somehow the reporting of materials now will somehow influence jurors 12 months down the track is fanciful,” he told the court.

In handing down her judgment, Magistrate Robinson said there was nothing particularly unusual about the case to justify a nonpublication order.

“There is nothing particular about the nature of the allegations themselves that raises any extraordinariness,” the magistrate said.

“Unfortunately, they are the kind of charges that come before the local court [often].”

Magistrate Robinson went on to say she was not satisfied there would be such news interest that it would be necessary to have a non-publication order to prevent prejudice to the admission of justice, noting that matters featuring prominent people such as NRL players were reported on regularly.

Several Fijian men attended Windsor court on Thursday when the matter was mentioned.

They said they were interested to hear the proceedings as it was a matter of great interest for the local Fijian community.

Bainimarama is currently on bail and his matter is due back in court on October 13.

He has not entered a plea.