Woman charged for assaulting step-daughter granted bail
A woman who is accused of allegedly assaulting her step-daughter has been granted bail and warned to be present in court on her court dates.
The woman appeared before Magistrate Krishnan Prasad at the Magistrates Court in Suva on Friday.
The woman is charged with one count of assault causing actual bodily harm.
It is alleged that the accused assaulted her 16-year-old step-daughter on May 6.
Police prosecutor informed the court that full phase of disclosures had been served to the accused and that there was a domestic relationship between the accused and the complainant.
He also did not object to the bail but sought strict bail conditions. Defence lawyer Jagath Karunaratne informed the court that he would require time to advise his client of her plea.
He also raised in court that the accused was detained by the Police on Thursday morning and kept in custody refraining her from being released on Police bail.
He said the accused was eight months pregnant and also had an eight-month-old baby whom she breastfed as the baby was not used to being bottle fed.
He said the accused was detained at the Station and the father had to take the baby to have the baby breastfed multiple times. Mr Karunaratne said the Police had informed him that his client could not be released on bail and that later in the night, the friends and family of the accused managed to get her out on bail. Magistrate Prasad said the Fiji Police Force was represented by the Prosecution and informed the prosecutor to take note and inform the Force on such instances. He granted bail to the accused on a bail bond sum of $500 non-cash and ordered the accused not to interfere with the witnesses and not to reoffend while on bail.
The woman was also ordered to reside at her address and not to change her address without prior approval from the court. An interim domestic violence restraining order with standard nonmolestation conditions has also been issued.
The matter will be called on June 1 for plea.