The Lautoka High Court has rejected an application by accused Frederick Epeli seeking access to exhibits in a major cocaine case after the court heard that the seized drugs — weighing 2,015.7 grams — had gone missing from the Namaka Police Station.
In a ruling delivered on October 24, 2025, Justice Riyaz Hamza said the court was unable to make any orders allowing Epeli or his lawyer to view or test the exhibits, as the State had confirmed that the alleged cocaine was no longer available.
“It has been clearly submitted by the State that the brown bag containing the two bars of cocaine which had been kept at the Namaka Police Station was found to be missing on 7 December 2020,” Justice Hamza said.
“Since the State has submitted that the 2,015.7 grams of cocaine is not available, the Court is not in a position to make any orders permitting the Applicant or his Counsel to view or inspect the said exhibits.”
Epeli had applied to view the exhibits, inspect where they were kept and later found, and to send samples for independent testing. He also sought access to police investigation files relating to the missing exhibits.
Justice Hamza noted that a Police investigation was conducted into the disappearance of the cocaine, and a report by Senior Superintendent of Police Loraini Seru, Director of CID, had been filed in court in June. However, he ruled that the investigation file itself could not be disclosed as it was a privileged document.
“The Court agrees that the Police internal inquiry file is privileged and will not make any order directing the State to disclose its contents,” Justice Hamza stated.
He added that it remained the State’s responsibility in the substantive trial to prove beyond reasonable doubt the chain of custody of the seized cocaine from discovery to testing.
Epeli and co-accused Justin Steven Mashi Ho are charged with attempting to export 2,015.7 grams of cocaine to Sydney, Australia, on 23 December 2018.
