Court

The 43-year -old woman, who is charged with negligent driving causing death, appeared before Justice Fepuleai Ameperosa Roma.

The charge relates to a case where a child was died after being allegedly hit by a car last month.

Tala Fou reports the Prosecution asked the court for a two weeks adjournment to finalise charges against the defendant Anita Sesilia Iona Mateo.

According to Police they were informed of the tragic incident by the hospital where the child was treated and later died of severe head injuries.

Senior Justice Vui Clarence Nelson was commenting as he sentenced a 20-year-old man to 12 years' in jail for raping an 11-year-old girl, who is part of his extended family.

The accused was sentenced last month after he was found guilty of rape and four sexual connection charges.

Justice Nelson said instead of protecting his female family member, the defendant sought to prey on the young girl.

Justice Nelson handed down 12 years for the charge of rape and a five-year sentence for sexual connection, to be served concurrently.

Senior Supreme Court Justice, Vui Clarence Nelson said every country needs all the help they can get to tackle the growing drug problem.

Speaking with Radio Polynesia Justice Vui said as a judge, he is tired of being the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff.

Last week the American Samoa government appointed a 20-member Comprehensive Substance Abuse Council to co-ordinate efforts to fight drug use through education, enforcement, and treatment.

The High Court in Suva has allowed an application by the public prosecutor to stop the superyacht Amadea belonging to Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov from leaving its waters.

Kerimov, who was not on board, is facing sanctions from the United States, Britain and the European Union over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Fiji's Director of Public Prosecutions Christopher Pryde filed the application on Tuesday - a week after the yacht moored at the Lautoka Wharf without customs clearance.

Mr Pryde confirmed that the US is seeking to seize the vessel.

The 35-year-old appeared in the Manukau District Court this morning.

He was due to stand trial this week on charges of importing methamphetamine and possessing methamphetamine for supply.

But he has now entered a guilty plea through his lawyer Vivienne Feyen to a representative importation charge.

Feyen told the court Vatuvei accepted responsibility for his offending.

Vatuvei has been remanded on bail ahead of his sentencing in December.

The Crown has indicated it will withdraw the remaining charges at sentencing.

They opened fire at Jitender Maan Gogi inside the courtroom in Rohini where a case was being heard against him.

Officials say police returned fire, killing the two men. Police suspect a rival gang planned the attack.

Gogi was on Delhi police's most-wanted list and he was also an accused in dozens of cases - including murder, kidnapping and fraud - in other states.

The incident has raised questions over the security of Delhi's courts. A senior politician said that the incident showed a serious lapse in security planning.

FAST, which had won the most seats in the April 9th election, organised the swearing in to comply with the country's electoral rules that parliament must sit within 45 days of the election.

But the FAST MPs found themselves barred illegally from parliament after the HRPP leader, Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, directed the Speaker to close the doors.

Tuila'epa called the FAST actions treasonous.

The Supreme Court in Apia on Monday heard submissions from both parties and its decision is likely early next week.

It means the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) now has 24 seats with FAST on 26 and a by-election to come.

The court ruled the re-elected HRPP MP for Sagaga No.2 constituency, Seiuli Ueligitone Seiuli, guilty of 13 bribery and two charges of treating.

The court also found the petitioner and former HRPP MP who ran in the general election as an independent, Mauailaivao Patelesio Ah Him, guilty of 10 bribery and one treating charges.

There will now be a by-election in Sagaga No.2 and both the petitioner and respondent have been barred from running.

The new FAST party, which has the same number of seats as the caretaker HRPP party, at 26, is seeking to have the Supreme Court overturn the appointment of a sixth woman to parliament.

Last week the Office of the Electoral Commission appointed Aliimalemanu Alofa Tuaau to ensure that at least ten percent of the parliament's seats are held by women.

But FAST claims in its motion to the court, that this is a misreading of the constitution.

The court has ordered name suppression for the woman who denied the same charge when she first appeared before a judge in July 2020.

The police, at the time, said the child was hit on the head with a broom handle by the defendant who was pregnant with her third child.

The woman will reappear in court next month for sentencing.

Meanwhile a 62-year-old father was sentenced to jail last Friday for six and half years after he pleaded guilty to one charge of manslaughter relating to the death of the defendant's 14 year old son.