Strict bail conditions for Chief, Church Ministers

The Marama Na Roko Tui Dreketi Ro Teimumu Kepa, Methodist Church President Reverend Ame Tugaue and Church General Secretary Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu have been warned not to breach their bail conditions or they will be remanded in police custody.

The three appeared in the Suva Magistrates court yesterday afternoon charged with defying the Public Emergency Regulation (PER).

Reverends Tugaue and Waqairatu are charged with allegedly breaching the permit conditions of the Church Standing Committee meeting last Friday.

The DPP John Rabuku requested for certain bail conditions to be set for Reverends Tugaue and Waqairatu which were agreed to by the Magistrate.

He said no offence should be committed within the 21 day period to safeguard public interest as we are living in trying times.

Reverends Tugaue and Waqairatu have also been ordered to surrender all their travel documents by 9am this morning.

Magistrate Eperama Rokoika has also told the two Church executives not to hold any meeting without a permit.

He further stated that Reverends Manasa Lasaro and Tomasi Kanailagi should not be included in any meeting of the Standing Committee or Think Tank of the church.

Ro Teimumu Kepa's charge is in relation to a statement she published about the Methodist Church Conference to go ahead.

The court heard that her letter was published on the internet.

He also set the bail condition that Ro Teimumu should not tell the people of Rewa and those she has traditional ties with that the Church Conference will go ahead.

Ro Teimumu had also been ordered to surrender all her travel documents by 9am this morning.

The Magistrate has released them on bail, adjourned both cases to the 13th of August.