A State immunity witness in the murder of a remand prisoner in Lautoka was asked yesterday whether they were bound to follow unlawful orders from their superiors at the prison facilities.
Suliasi Tubuna appeared before High Court Judge Justice Aruna Aluthge in the trial of the alleged murder and assault of remand prisoner Jone Masirewa on April 13, 2020.
The late Mr Masirewa, of Natokowaqa, Lautoka, died because of severe traumatic abdominal injuries, severe traumatic chest injuries and severe haemoperitoneum.
Mr Tubuna, a former temporary corrections officer was granted immunity on February 28, 2025, to give evidence for the State.
He was initially charged alongside accused person- Onisimo Raboiliku, a former Lautoka Corrections Centre senior officer, and former corrections officers Semesa Bulikalougata and Navitalai Kanavo.
Both Mr Raboiliku and Mr Bulikalougata were charged with one count each of murder and assault causing actual bodily harm while Mr Kanavo and Mr Tubuna faced a lesser charge of assault causing actual bodily harm.
Mr Tubuna had informed court they were following orders from the 2IC, Mr Onisimo Raboiliku to do a drill exercise on the victim, Mr Masirewa and another remand prisoner, Jone Nawalu because of their disrespectful conduct to the prison officers on the night of April 12,2020.
He said the order came from Mr Raboiliku for the officers to kick and punch the victim.
Mr Tubuna said that he had hit the second remand prisoner Jone Nawalu and not Mr Masirewa.
He said during the morning of the incident on April 13,2020, Mr Masirewa had given him a blue Bible and asked for forgiveness.
Mr Tubuna said he had to go for his debrief because he had finished his night shift and left the ground where the incident took place, while his colleague, Mr Bulikalougata remained because he was following orders from the 2IC, Mr Raboiliku.
He said the victim was struggling to breathe.
Mr Tubuna also claimed that Mr Kanavo had punched and kicked the victim two times on his chest.
Meanwhile, representing Mr Raboiliku, Defence lawyer Eroni Maopa, said Mr Tubuna had lied to the Police during his caution interview on April 16,2020.
He said Mr Tubuna had informed police the order from Mr Raboiliku was to make the victims to roll and crawl.
Mr Maopa said the order was not given to Mr Bulikalougata to kick the remand prisoners.
He said the kicking statement from Mr Tubuna came after he was being immune to the prosecution.
Mr Tubuna refuted these claims saying that he had told police everything during his interview on February 28,2025 when he was granted immunity by the State.
Justice Aluthge also asked Mr Tubuna whether he fabricated his evidence to get immunity from the State.
In response, Mr Tubuna said police had forgotten to include the kicking in his statement because he had told them during his interview.
Meanwhile, the second remand prisoner who was also assaulted, Jone Nawalu told court that his colleague Mr Masirewa was hit with the front metal part of the fire extinguisher by Mr Raboiliku.
Mr Nawalu said the orders to hit them came from Mr Raboiliku for them to do a drill, but it was like they were being tortured.
He said they first had to roll and then do a duck walk.
Mr Nawalu said it was during this exercise, that the victim, Mr Masirewa was being kicked and punched.
He claims that the victim suffered injuries on his ribs because of the kick from the officers who were wearing safety boots.
The trial continues today at the Lautoka High Court.
