One of the key accused in Fiji’s biggest drug bust was seen on CCTV walking away from a service station just after a truck loaded with methamphetamine pulled in, the High Court in Lautoka heard.
A state witness confirmed to Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions John Rabuku that the footage showed Aporosa Davelevu at the Motorex Service Station on January 24, 2024 — the same day police arrested him at his home in Saweni, Lautoka.
The witness told the court he identified Mr Davelevu both by his appearance and from a previous 2019 drug case investigation.
Davelevu’s lawyer, Vaulina Cava, asked the witness to confirm if her client was the man walking out of the service station after the truck arrived. “Yes”, the witness replied.
The footage is a major piece of evidence in the ongoing trial connected to the 4.15-tonne methamphetamine haul that has rocked the country.
Immunity witnesses name key players
Three prosecution witnesses, granted immunity in exchange for testimony, revealed details about how the drugs were stored, packaged, and moved.
State Counsel Joeli Naivalu informed the court that the first witness, a former partner of accused Sakiusa Tuva, said she travelled several times with him to a corrugated iron house in Voivoi, Nadi, where she saw containers wrapped in brown plastic.
She testified that accused Cathy Tuirabe was packaging the containers, while Tuva and Ratu Osea Levula were wrapping others.
Later, the witness said they fled after learning of a police raid in Legalega and that Tuva was arrested shortly after, during breakfast at a Hot Bread Kitchen outlet. She said she returned to Tavua following his arrest.
Under cross-examination, defence lawyer Mosese Naivalu, representing Levula, suggested the witness was intoxicated and hallucinating at the time — claims she denied.
She admitted, however, that she had “enjoyed the spoils” of the operation.
She also confirmed that Tuva often carried large amounts of hard cash.
Second immunity witness
The second immunity witness, who owns the Voivoi house used to store the drugs, told the court he had given Tuva permission to use the rent money to finish the house.
He described arriving at the scene and seeing containers on the ground. Tuva allegedly told him and another man to “start taking the containers into the house before sunrise”.
He added that he realised what was inside the containers when one fell and white crystals spilled out.
Defence lawyer Samuela Heritage questioned the witness on the legality of a search warrant that named Justin Ho — another accused and included the witness’s address.
Third immunity witness
The third witness said he drove two vanloads of the drug containers from Legalega to Maqalevu in Denarau.
He said Cathy Tuirabe taped the van windows to hide the contents and began loading the containers. Ratu Osea Levula, he said, joined later to help.
Under cross-examination by Mosese Naivalu, the witness agreed he only saw Mr Levula once, when he helped load a container left behind.
The trial continues
The case, which centres on a record-breaking 4.15-tonne methamphetamine seizure, continues today at the High Court in Lautoka.
The prosecution is expected to call more witnesses as it attempts to link the accused to what authorities believe is a major transnational drug trafficking operation.
