State Prosecutor and Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions John Rabuku will file an application for a search warrant at the Lautoka Magistrate’s Court to extract data from drug suspect Chukwuemeka Phabian’s phone.
The court heard that this would be done through a new system developed by the Fiji Police Force.
Mr Phabian, Apenisa Matadigo, Uraia Tuidama Bolalailai, Neumi Donumainasava and Osea Dakai appeared before Justice Aruna Aluthge yesterday charged with two counts of unlawful importation of illicit drugs.
In the first count, it is alleged that between March 31 and July 4, 2025, at Nadi, the group engaged in the importation of 2160.8 grams of methamphetamine without lawful authority. The second count alleges that between March 31 and June 12, 2025, the accused imported 978.967 grams of the illicit drug.
Mr Rabuku told the court that the prosecution would be relying on the digital evidence during a two-week trial set to begin on September 14.
Mr Rabuku confirmed, he had disclosed draft pre-trial conference documents to the defence and requested a date for the conference.
Justice Aluthge adjourned the matter to August 13 for mention.
