A MARRIED father-of-four convicted of stealing a TV and other items from a woman’s house has been sentenced to nine months in prison.
Ratu Osea Verekawa, 27, pleaded guilty to charges of burglary, theft, and serious assault.
Trial records show that sometime in September this year, Verekawa entered Katalaina Kuilamu’s home and stole various items valued at more than $1500.
After unsuccessfully trying to sell the TV, he left it at a camp house from where it was recovered by the police.
A few days later he attempted to flee as police officers raided his home.
The prosecution also brought to the court’s attention that Verekawa was convicted of burglary and theft last year and sentenced to eight months and 25 days imprisonment for those offences.
In his ruling, Justice Lee James Burney said burglary is a serious offence that can have significant psychological, emotional, and financial effects on victims.
“Everyone should feel secure in their own homes,” he said during sentencing on November 14.
Suspended sentence for man
A FORMER resort housekeeper who pleaded guilty to assaulting a foreign national while she was asleep was given a six-month sentence suspended for two years.
Records show that on September 3 this year the man, who was charged with rape, pleaded not-guilty although he pleaded guilty to a count of assault committed on July 6 this year.
The summary of facts stated the victim was asleep in her room when she woke up and realised someone was inside.
The victim then grabbed the 20-year-old man’s shirt tightly as he tried to run off.
As a result, she was dragged outside the room but the man punched her in the face and fled.
The court was satisfied that the man fully understood the nature of the charge and the consequences of pleading guilty.
Couple to reappear
A FORMER Fiji Rugby Union accountant and his wife who face graft charges will reappear next year in the Suva Magistrate’s Court.
Pawan Deo and Subhashni Mudaliar recently appeared before Magistrate Yogesh Prasad each facing one count of conspiracy to defraud, obtaining a gain, and obtaining a financial advantage.
It is alleged that while Mr Deo was FRU’s financial accountant and sole proprietor of Sports Supplies Ltd (SSL), he conspired with his wife and dishonestly obtained $53,788.75 from the FRU.
The alleged offences took place between February 1 and May 11, 2022.
The matter has been adjourned to February 18 next year to check the final pretrial conference details.
Court acquits arson accused
THE High Court in Labasa has acquitted a man accused of setting fire to a Fiji Pine Ltd commercial plantation.
Viliame Bitu had entered a notguilty plea to a count of arson allegedly committed on July 22 last year.
Justice Lee James Burney said there was no dispute over the number of trees destroyed by the fire. He added that the court’s sole issue for determination was whether it was Mr Bitu who set fire to the pine forest.
During trial the prosecution relied on a single witness, Mr Bitu’s uncle, to prove that his nephew had caused the fire.
In his findings, Justice Burney noted the identification evidence to be poor and unsupported. He also found the evidence too weak to safely rely on, therefore, there was no case to answer.
In his view, the witness’ statement was short and lacked detail and the prosecution failed to properly assess whether the evidence had a “reasonable prospect of conviction”.
“I make these observations in the spirit of constructive criticism with a view to ensuring that public funds are not wasted in the pursuit of ill-prepared prosecutions,” Justice Burney said on November 14.
