The High Court has found a 35-year-old man not guilty of igniting a fire at Suva’s Totogo Police Station in 2023.
Justice Usaia Ratuvili said he had come to the decision by reason of insanity, given that the accused, Sebastian Sipeli Kavaia Rakai, was suffering from schizophrenia on September 21, 2023.
Court records show Mr Rakai threw a Molotov cocktail into the charge room and later charged in with a hammer. He was charged with a count each of attempt to commit arson and damaging property to which he had entered into a not-guilty plea.
A psychiatric evaluation report furnished on November 24, 2023, showed Mr Rakai suffered from schizophrenia, a mental illness, and is currently taking medication to treat the symptoms.
At the close of the prosecution’s case, Mr Rakai offered no evidence and submitted this was an appropriate case for a special verdict.
In his analysis, Justice Ratuvili said it was an admitted fact that Mr Rakai was diagnosed with two mental illnesses during the early years of his life.
He found that on the day of the incident, Mr Rakai was insane so as not to be responsible for his actions at the time because of his mental impairment.
“The court finds that he did attack Totogo Police Station with Molotov cocktails and with two hammers, however, he was insane at the time of the offence,” stated Justice Ratuvili in his special verdict delivered on August 28.
“I direct that (Mr Rakai) is to continue receiving treatment at St Giles Hospital and to be dealt with in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Mental Health Act.”