Fiji’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecution last month filed several serious offense cases involving 35 individuals who collectively faced 42 charges with six of these cases occurring within close family relationships.
In one case, a 39-year-old woman lost her life, leading to charges of manslaughter against her 45-year-old husband, her 39-year-old brother-in-law, and her 30-year-old sister-in-law.
A 45-year-old man was charged with assault causing actual bodily harm to his 47-year-old de facto partner, and a 23-year-old man was charged with acts intending to cause grievous harm to his 28-year-old brother, allegedly using a cane knife. A 27-year-old man was charged with four counts of acts with intent to cause grievous harm and one count of criminal trespass. He was accused of assaulting his 71-year-old grandfather, his two cousin brothers, and a 53-year-old neighbor with a kitchen knife.
In two other cases, a 48-year-old man was charged with an act intending to cause grievous harm for allegedly attacking his wife with a hammer and a 36-year-old woman was charged with grievous harm, accused of wounding her 37-year-old husband.
In a separate incident, a 41-year-old man faced charges of acts with intent to cause grievous harm and criminal intimidation against a 43-year-old woman and a 53-year-old woman. The accused allegedly threatened to kill one victim and unlawfully wounded another with a cane knife. A 50-year-old man was charged with attempting to set fire to his 31-year-old neighbor’s house.
Eight juveniles were among the accused. In one incident, two 15-year-old boys and a 16-year-old boy were charged with aggravated robbery, stealing a mobile phone and $35 in cash from a 14-year-old boy. In another, two 16-year-old boys were charged with aggravated burglary and theft of assorted clothes and $15 cash from a clothing store. A 17-year-old boy and a 20-year-old man were charged with the aggravated burglary and theft of a wristwatch from a 48-year-old man’s house, while another 16-year-old boy was charged with the aggravated burglary and theft of an iPad and a laptop from a 39-year-old man’s house. However, a 14-year-old boy’s charges of aggravated burglary and theft were discontinued due to insufficient evidence.
Four cases were withdrawn after discontinuances (Nolle Prosequi) were filed due to inconsistent and insufficient evidence.
