A striking detail emerged last week in the trial of three former corrections officers accused of murdering inmate Jone Masirewa on April 12, 2020.
The area in which the alleged assault took place — a small ground behind one of the blocks at the remand centre — appeared to be wet which indicated the area had been cleaned.
The observation was made by the head of the Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Sakiusa Jitoko, the second State witness who gave evidence in the High Court in Lautoka before Justice Aruna Aluthge.
The first was Corporal Pita, a member of the Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Unit.
Onisimo Raboiliku, Semesa Bulikalougata and Navitalai Kanavo are on trial for Masirewa’s murder in 2020. They are also charged with assaulting remand prisoner Jone Nawali.
Eroni Maopa is representing Mr Raboiliku, Samuela Heritage for Mr Bulikalougata, Amele Tubuitamana is representing Mr Kanavo while Sheenal Swastika appeared for the State.
Mr Jitoko said he received a call about an inmate being brought in dead on arrival at around 9.30am on the day. He revealed this to his team before they proceeded to Lautoka Hospital where
Masirewa’s body was being kept at the emergency waiting room.
Mr Jitoko said he noticed visible injuries to Masirewa’s head, face, lips, chest, arms and back.
He said the team then proceeded to the Natabua Remand centre to take photos of the crime scene — two remand blocks and a small ground behind one of the blocks where Masirewa was allegedly assaulted.
He observed the area was still wet, which indicated it might have been cleaned or washed as it was not a rainy day.
Mr Maopa put to the witness that during this debriefing session, there was information that Masirewa was assaulted in police custody but Mr Jitoko said there was no such thing.
Mr Heritage told Mr Jitoko he would in no way know whether the blood stains at the crime scene belonged to Masirewa, to which Mr Jitoko replied in the affirmative.
During cross examination Corporal Pita said he received a call on that day from his supervisor regarding an incident at the Natabua Remand Centre.
He said when he saw Masirewa’s body at the emergency centre, he noticed bruises on his side and back.
The forensic registrar, who conducted the postmortem examination, was cross-examined on the nature of Masirewa’s injuries and said one of his right ribs was fractured and the second to the sixth ribs were also injured.
When asked what scenarios would have caused these injuries, she said they indicated a fall from a high height, a motor vehicle accident or that something heavy may have fallen on the deceased.
She was asked if hard kicking could have caused injuries indicative of trauma which caused Masirewa’s spleen to rupture, the witness said yes.
Mr Maopa asked her if there was a possibility the injuries were inflicted before the incident. The witness said she could not tell from the colour of the bruises, but she could confirm he had trauma.
The witness said information provided to her stated Masirewa collapsed while on his way to hospital and attempts to resuscitate him failed.
After assessing evidence provided by the prosecution, Justice Aruna Aluthge found there was a case to answer.
