Family loses house to fire
THE defence in the case of accused murderer Samuel Naicker has been given time to respond to the State’s proposed facts.
In August this year, Mr Naicker pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder, where he was alleged to have strangled a 17-yearold boy at a house in Makoi in June.
The matter was called for pre-trial conference before High Court judge Justice Siainiu Fa’alogo Bull, in the High Court at Suva last week.
State prosecutor Zenith Zunaid told the court the State was awaiting a response on its proposed facts.
A NACOVI, Nadi family lost their entire fourbedroom property to a fire on Saturday night.
The homeowner, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the fire happened a little after 8pm and his grandmother was alone at home at the time of the incident.
“But no one got hurt and everyone is safe,” the homeowner said.
When this newspaper visited the scene yesterday, family members and neighbours were cleaning the remains of the fire which engulfed the $250,000 home.
Data released by the National Fire Authority (NFA) indicated that as of September this year, 84 structural fires were recorded in the country.
NFA chief executive Puamau Sowane shared that since January this year to August, 84 structural fire incidents have been recorded compared with 74 structural fire incidents same period last year.
The Western Division recorded 41 fires while 31 occurred in the Central/Eastern Division and 12 in the Northern Division.
Mr Sowane said the increase in residential fires was of great concern to the NFA.
The Legal Aid lawyer, appearing on instructions of the officer in carriage in the matter, Krishneel Chang, said she confirmed receipt of the proposed facts and sought 14 days to respond.
Mr Zunaid clarified there might have been a delay in the response because Mr Naicker was admitted at Twomey Hospital at Tamavua
with tuberculosis.
He said the State was relying on partial admissions in Mr Naicker’s caution interview and the evidence of his sister and mother, as the accused allegedly made confessions to them.
Mr Naicker’s bail application was also called before Justice Bull.
The defence counsel asked if the bail hearing could be vacated and the defence given seven days to file a supplementary affidavit in the bail application.
Justice Bull granted the defence’s application.
The bail application will be called for hearing on January 16, 2023, while the substantive file will be called for further pre-trial conference on February 9.
Police arrest 3
POLICE arrested three men after they allegedly stole a motor vehicle in Butt St in Suva early yesterday morning. Chief Operations Officer (COO) Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Abdul Khan said the owner of the vehicle called in to the Totogo Police Station after 3am and the report was quickly referred to the Police Command and Coordination Centre (PCCC) whereby information about the vehicle was broadcast to all stations and Police vehicles. He said further instructions were given to erect roadblocks within the Southern Division in Pacific Harbour, Delainavesi, Laqere and Dokaniaisuva as well as in the Eastern Division. A Samabula Police team sighted the stolen vehicle after 4am along Princes Rd. A Totogo vehicle that was in Cunningham proceeded to the location and cut off the suspects vehicle whereby both vehicles sustained damage. ACP Khan said police operations had been beefed up this festive season in light of similar opportunistic crimes.