LAWYERS representing six people charged over an alleged drug operation have argued there is no case for their clients to answer, submitting that the prosecution has failed to produce sufficient evidence to establish the essential elements of the charges.
The submissions were made before Magistrate Sufia Hamza after the close of the prosecution’s case yesterday.
The accused are Ginna Choi, Josua Ravula, Yu Yang Fang, Minghui Dai, Zhou Lan and Peniasi Ganilau Delai.
The lawyers argued there was no evidence linking their clients to the drugs allegedly seized during police raids at Flagstaff and along Rewa St in Suva in September last year.
They further argued that key police witnesses gave inconsistent accounts of the search, the discovery of the drugs and the handling of exhibits, submitting that the discrepancies undermined the reliability of the State’s case.
Mr Ravula is accused of possessing 42.295 grams of methamphetamine, while Ms Choi and Mr Delai are accused of possessing 0.345 grams. Ms Choi is also alleged to have had $977.60, $US4 and 200 Philippine pesos, suspected to be proceeds of crime.
Chinese nationals Yu Yang Fang, Minghui Dai, and Zhou Lan are charged with possessing 39.509 grams of methamphetamine. Mr Zhou is also accused of being in possession of $7180, $US60, $HK1520, and 600 Chinese yuan, suspected to be proceeds of crime.
Mr Yu faces charges of dealing methamphetamine with others and possessing $906.25, also suspected to be proceeds of crime.
State prosecutor Eoghn Samisoni, however, defended the charges, maintaining there was sufficient evidence for all the accused to answer to the charges.
Ms Hamza will deliver her decision on August 13.
