A senior lawyer representing former Fijian Holdings Ltd (FHL) chief executive officer Mohammed Nouzab Fareed has applied for his client to be released on bail pending sentence.
Mr Fareed, currently remanded in custody, did not appear in court this afternoon before Chief Magistrate Josaia Waqaivolavola.
His lawyers, Hemendra Nagin and Ritesh Singh, submitted that there was no evidence Mr Fareed would abscond, noting that he had complied with all previous bail conditions and attended every court hearing throughout the lengthy proceedings.
Principal legal officer Sadaf Shameem opposed the application, arguing that bail after conviction was not an automatic right but an exceptional measure.
Mr Waqaivolavola directed both the prosecution and defence to file simultaneous written submissions within three days, addressing whether the court has jurisdiction to grant bail pending sentence after conviction.
The Chief Magistrate will deliver his ruling on the bail application on July 30.
