The officer who had interviewed drug accused Joshua Rahman on February 13, 2019 , told the court that he had interviewed him on his involvement with three other people on the matter of $30,000 Fijian dollars and $9000 New Zealand dollars that were found on them.
While giving evidence, Detective Corporal Avinesh Dutt said they had been informed by their counterparts in New Zealand and Australia that those people were drug dealers and would enter into Fiji.
He told the court that the interview process were conducted on February 13 and on February 14.
He said they wanted to find out about the money and the three other persons who had been seen with Joshua.
But he said Joshua had denied this.
Mr Dutt said Joshua had informed him about the agriculture business he and his dad Tallat Rahman and two other partners from Mexico wanted to set up in Yaqara.
He also told the court that Joshua had mentioned to him about setting up a pharmaceutical business as well.
He said Joshua had made mentions about his dad’s import business of importing of vases for decorations.
He said Joshua had indicated to him that he was only assisting his dad in his business.
Mr Dutt told the court that he had suspended Joshua’s interview on February 14 because they wanted to search Joshua’s premises.
He said he had briefed the search team and obtained two search warrants and proceeded to the site in Caubati with Joshua.
He told the court that the warrants had been shown to Joshua and he had allowed them to enter the house.
He told the court that Joshua was with the team during the search and also denied any knowledge of a parcel that was found in the drawer in one of the rooms.
Mr Dutt added when they had searched Joshua’s room, they had found clothes, shoes and notepads.
Following this, when the notepads were tendered in evidence by the State, Mr Sharma objected to this as he stated that this was not a proper way to exhibit evidence in court.
Mr Dutt said he had stumbled upon another set of parcel in another room when he had gone to off the air conditioning.
He told the court that he could not reach the switch of the air-con unit in that room and had climbed on top of the bed and shifted the mattress off to the side when his leg went inside the board.
He said they then removed the mattress and saw the board had screw marks but there were no screws.
He said when they lifted the board, they saw other parcels stacked with black plastics on top.
He said Joshua denied any knowledge of those parcels when he was asked.
The accused remains in remand.
Mr Rahman was accused of possessing cocaine worth more than $30million in February in 2019 in Caubati.
The trial continues today.
*More on this story in today’s edition of The Fiji Times.
